Name
Arthur Edwin Rumsey
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/06/1917
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
2478
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
5th/45th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 7-17-23-25-27-29-31.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St James' Church Memorial, Watford Fields, Australasian Imperial Expeditionary Forces Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial Canberra
Pre War
Son of the late Henry Agar and Eleanor Susan (nee LAPWOOD) RUMSEY.
His parents married 20 June 1880 at St Nicholas, Witham, Essex. Eleanor died 1896 in the Braintree, Essex, district aged 45; Henry died 1907 in Watford aged 51, and was buried 29 August in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford.
Arthur was born 25 September 1886 in Colchester, Essex or West Mercia, Essex, and sailed 14 June 1914 aboard the White Star Line Runic Liverpool to Sydney, a pattern maker aged 27.
On the 1891 Census, aged 4 he lived in West Mercia, with his parents and one sibling. On the 1901 Census, a tailor’s shop errand boy aged 14, he was a boarder in Chelmsford, Essex. On the 1911 Census, an Able Seaman aged 24, he was a boarder in Tottenham, London.
Wartime Service
He originally joined the Royal Navy 25 September 1904 for 12 years: aged 18, 5’5″ tall; leaving 7 April 1910 as Able Seaman. He attested 12 February 1916 at Cootamundra, New South Wales: a labourer aged 31, 5’9″ tall, C of E,; next-of-kin his brother of Watford.
He embarked from Sydney 24 August 1916 aboard A68 Anchises arriving Devonport 11 October 1916. He embarked from Folkestone 4 December 1916 aboard Princess Victoria, arriving Etaples the same day. He was promoted to Lance-Corporal 3 January 1917, and was entitled to the British War and Victory medals.
He went missing in action during an advance at Messines 7 June 1917; a Court of Enquiry held 21 March 1918 concluded he was killed in action on that date.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
