Name
Arthur Stratford
19 Aug 1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/10/1915
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7686
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 37 and 39.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring
Pre War
Arthur Stratford was born on 19 Aug 1886 (baptised 29 Jun 1890) in Tring to Elisha Stratford, farm labourer and Charlotte (nee Coker).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Agnes (born 1883), Thomas (born 1885), Arthur and Alice (born 1889) were living at 5 Wingrave Road, Tring. There were older sibling not listed – Charles (born 1871), Ellen (born 1877), and Frederick (born 1879).
No record of Arthur was found on the 1901 Census, his parents were living in Pitstone, Buckinghamshire with daughter Alice and son John Arthur married Gertrude Violet Bolton 1910, the would children Arthur (born 13 Apr 1912 and Frederick John (born 16 Feb 1914).
On the 1911 Census Arthur, working as a removals carter, and Gertrude were living at 53, Grant Road, Wealdstone, Middx. Arthur’s parents were living with Daughter Alice and son John at 9, New Mill Terrace, Tring.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Arthur. His service Number of 7686 was issued in 1904/1905 and served with one of the two Regular Battalions of the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry. He was probably on Army Reserve having fulfilled his original engagement.
On the outbreak of the Great War Arthur was recalled to the colours and went to France on 14 Aug with 2nd Battalion landing at Boulogne to join 5th Brigade of the 2nd Division. They combined with rest of the British Expeditionary Force at Mons ( 23-24 Aug 1914) and took part in the retreat back into France. He was wounded and on his return to France was probably posted in to 5th (Service ) Battalion as part of the process called 'stiffening' that provided battle experience to new formations. Arthur was reported missing believed to have been killed on 17 Oct 1915, his remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Menin Gate, Ypres.
The following extracts are from the 5th Ox & Bucks War Diary (hash symbols have been inserted where words are illegible and question marks where unsure of information): “Railway Wood trenches: 16.10.15:
Quiet morning Heavy fog early. Unfortunately party of 5 men carrying knife rests down the railway were caught by fog lifting & 2 were killed & 2 wounded.
Enemy fired Crumps & Whizz-bangs [types of German artillery shells] into RAILWAY WOOD in the afternoon & our guns retaliated.
Every available man in the Battn. worked (?) all night, as there is a great deal of repairing and drainage to be done.
Casualties - killed ORs 2, wounded ORs 6.
17.10.15: 5.15am, enemy exploded mine under the junction of H20 & H21. Our mine shaft in H20 was blown up. It appears to have been a defensive measure only as no Art. fire was opened, & no attack made till later. The ### trench at the junction of H20 & H21 was destroyed for about 4 bays on either side of the junction. The earth was very much thrown up round the lip of the crater, and runs in a long ridge to the enemy crater of the 25th. Size of crater about 40 yds in diameter and 30-40 ft deep.
7am. About 7am the enemy made 2 bomb attacks, one directed against the crater, and the other against the SUNKEN ROAD. Both were easily repulsed by our bombers & by rifle fire.
The behaviour of the men was excellent throughout, though for the great majority of officers, N.C.O.s and men it was their first experience of the trenches, there being only 3 officers, including the Colonel and Adjt., who had been in the trenches before.
Immediately after the mine went up, the survivors in H20N, & in H20S opened a very steady rapid fire, to which there was hardly any reply: 2 platoons started work at once under 2nd Lt RODOCANACHI [possibly Capt. Theodore Emmanuel (Michel) Rodocanachi, DSO MC (1889-1983)] to dig out the men buried in H20, and they succeeded in getting several out alive. They continued the work through the bomb attack, & in spite of severe ### fire by the enemy. Work was also started on wiring between H20 & S20 & digging a trench round the crater. The wiring was completed that night, & also a trench encircling half the crater, with a bomb post & loophole at each ###: S20 was also continued towards H21 to join up N of Crater.
2000 bombs were sent up by Brigade during the day, also 1 Coy 5/KSLI (???) & 16 of their bombers. Battn. stood to arms all night.
Casualties, killed Captain R. O. LOGAN, 2nd Lt A.D.J. MELLISS, 13 O.R. missing; believed killed in the mine O.R. 22. Wounded O.R. 31.
18.10.15: Situation quiet, except for a lot of trench mortaring & sniping. During last night an enemy M.G. north of the railway continually ### our trenches with fire, especially those in RAILWAY WOOD.”
From the Parish Magazine December 1915: “Arthur Stratford a reservist serving in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, who has been reported as missing since 17th October is now said to have been killed on that day in a trench that was blown up by a German mine and has not been seen since. He was wounded in one of the earlier battles of the war, and sent to England. After eight months at home he returned to France on 2nd October . He was 29 years of age. We offer our deep sympathy to his friends.”
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £6 10s and arrears of £1 18s 7d was paid to his widow.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
