Name
Arthur Gordon Cade (DSO, MC & Bar)
3rd Jul 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/04/1918
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant Colonel
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
2nd Bn. Wiltshire Regiment, 1st Bn. (Commanding)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Mentioned in Despatches three times, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross and Bar three times
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 113 to 115.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Haileybury College Cloister Wall Memorial, Hertford Heath, Haileybury College Memorial, Hertford Heath, Haileybury College Chapel Roll of Honour, Hertford Heath, Bengeo School Memorial – Location TBC, Park Garden Of Remembrance, Palmers Green Greater London, Christ Church WW1 and WW2), Southgate, Greater London
Pre War
Arthur Gordon Cade was born 3rd July 1891, in Wood Green, Middx, to parents Edwin Arthur and Sarah Elizabeth (nee Smith), he had three sisters and one brother. The 1901 census has him living at The Green, Southgate, with his family and his father’s occupation was a Director of Public Companies.
Arthur (also known as Jim) was educated at Bengeo school, Danesbury, Bengeo, Hertford and went on to Hailleybury College, Hertford Heath, 1905-1908. In 1911 he was living at The Chestnuts, Southgate, London, with his widowed mother and his sister Theo Daphne and he was employed as a Stockbrokers Clerk.
Arthur joined the O.T.C at the Inns of Court on 29 Mar 1909 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 7 May 1910 in the London Regiment 11th Bn. He passed the Officers Examination in October 1913 and transferred to the Middlesex Regt., who were based in Mill Hill, not far from the family home and was sent to Malta for training in 1913.
Wartime Service
Arthur’s unit, the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regt. went to France on 7th November 1914, they fought at 1st Ypres in December. In 1915 they took part in the battles of Neuve Chapelle where he won his Military Cross and, Aubers.
In 1916 they took part in the first day of the Somme campaign at Ovilliers. Only about a dozen of his men managed to reach the German barbed wire and the battalion was reduced to about 55 men following the attack on 1st July. He, as acting Adjutant wrote the war diary for the battalion.
In December of that year he won a bar to his MC. 1917 saw them in action at Pilkem and Langemarck in Flanders. In September he was awarded the DSO for gallantry in the fighting at West Hoek. -"On August 16, at Westhoek, this officer was in command of his battalion. Very early in the morning, hearing that the left flank of his battalion was held up, he at once personally went forward, with as many men and machine-guns as he could collect, and throughout the whole of the day, under face of an intense hostile fire, reorganised his battalion, with the utmost disregard to personal safety, in view of the enemy. He established a defensive flank north of the railway, where there was an exposed flank and in the face of determined counter-attacks, held on to the ground gained. His personal courage and coolness were beyond all praise, and it was solely due to his personal efforts that he kept his battalion together throughout the day in good morale."
Arthur was promoted to Acting Lieutenant-Colonel and attached to the 1st Bn. Wiltshire Regiment. After his marriage he returned to the front on 18 Apr 1918, commanding 1st Wiltshires. At Mont Kemmel in the 2nd Battle of Lys in April 1918 Arthur was attempting to rally his troops when he was killed. His Body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
He had married Ada Ellen Young on 9th February 1918 and they spent their honeymoon at The Grand Hotel Eastbourne. His daughter Annette Gladys was born on 16th November 1918.
Arthur is also commemorated on the Christ Church War Memorial, Southgate.
Additional Information
Probate records record him residing at Bay Tree Cottage, Old Southgate, Middx at the time of his death and he left £811 19s to his wife Ada. His medal roll index card states they were sent to his wife at Twynax Cottage, Middle Bourals, Farnham, Surrey.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Malcolm Lennox, Karen Smith - Acting Director of External Relations www.haileybury.com/honour, Ann Hacke, Terry & Glenis Collins
