Name
Arthur Bertie Heath
28 Mar 1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/05/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
49642
Royal Fusiliers
23rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY
LXV. A. 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A REST TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD
UK & Other Memorials
All Saints' Church Memorial(s), Hockerill, Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial
Pre War
Arthur Bertie Heath was born on 28 Mar 1886 in Penge to James Heath and Sophia (nee Fish) and baptised on 31 July 1887 at High Wych, Hertford.
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, James William (born 1884), Arthur B, Albert Frederick (born 1889) and Ernest J (born 1891) were living at Hawthorn Grove, Penge, Surrey where his father was a gas fitter. They had moved to Sawbridgeworth, by the 1901 Census his parents, James William, Arthur B, Albert Frederick, Ernest J, Muriel (born 1894) and May (born 1897) were living at Springhall Road and Arthur was working in a nursery gardens. They remained in Sawbridgeworth for the 1911 Census but Arthur had changed his occupation to domestic groom. He married Ethel Monk in 1914 at Bishop's Stortford.
Wartime Service
No Service records were found for Arthur. He enlisted at Bishop's Stortford, probably, sometime in 1915, as Private 2705 Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).
His Service Number seems to indicate January as 2293 was issued on 6 Jan and 3076 on 15 Feb 1915 and in 24th (2nd Sportsmen’s Battalion. Following his training with the Reserve Battalions he was posted as G/49642 to 23 (Service) Battalion (1st Sportsmen’s) serving in France as part of 99 Brigade, 2 Division as Private G/49642. During 1918 he may have involved in the First Battles of the Somme St Quentin (21-23 Mar), Bapaume (24-25 Mar) and First Arras 1918 (28 Mar). These battles were part of the German Spring Offensive intended to cut the British Army from the Channel Ports. Arthur died of wounds received in action on 23 May 1918, although having been evacuated through the Casualty chain to Hospital in the Etaples Base Area. He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, one of the largest CWGC cemeteries in France.
Additional Information
His widow Ethel received a War Gratuity of £9 and arrears of £6 14s 10d. She also received a pension of 13 s 9d a week from 11 Nov 1918. N.B. He was registered and baptised as Arthur Bertie, but most military records give his name as Arthur Bert. On some records his service number has a G/ or GS/ prefix.
His widow, ordered his headstone inscription, while living at 28 North Gate End, Bishop's Stortford, Herts., the inscription reads: "THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A REST TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD".
GWGC record states 23 Bn. Royal Fusiliers, the full title would read 23rd (Service) Battalion (1st Sportsmen’s), Royal Fusiliers (city of London) Regiment. His elder Brother James William served as Sapper 183719, 80 Field Company, Royal Engineers in Flanders Died of Wounds 23 Jul 1917.
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Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
