Name
Arthur William Titmus(s)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/10/1914
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
9374
Essex Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
STRAND MILITARY CEMETERY
Ploegsteert Wood, New Cemetery, Belgium.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT
UK & Other Memorials
St Faith’s Church, Walsworth Hitchin, Hitchin Town Memorial (possibly), Not on the Great Wymondley memorials, Not on the Stevenage memorials, Not on the Walsworth memorials
Pre War
Arthur William Titmus was born Arthur William Waldock in 1888 in Great Wymondley, Herts., registered in the third quarter and he christened on 14 October 1888 in Great Wymondley, Herts.
His mother was Eliza Ann Waldock was unmarried, and the father was not recorded. However, she married William Titmus on 1 October 1889, in Great Wymondley, and it is possible that he was Arthur’s father. Whether or not this was the case, in the 1891 Arthur’s surname was still recorded as Waldock. The family were living in Little Wymondley, Herts., and present were William (22) and Eliza (22), with Willian working as a farm labourer. The children listed were Arthur (Waldock, 2), Elsie Emma Titmus (1) and William Titmus at 1 month.
In 1901 the family were living at 87 Chingford Road, Walthamstow, Essex. Present were William and Eliza, William working as a general labourer and Eliza as a shirt machinist; the children listed were Arthur who now bore the surname Titmus, Elsie and new son, Walter (4). Also present was a visitor George Brewer (39).
By 1911 the family were back in Great Wymondley, Stevenage. William and Eliza were both present, William working as a building labourer. The census recorded they had been married for 22 years with 3 children, of whom 1 had died. The children listed were now Elsie and Walter. This suggests that William (junior) had died, but as it only records that the William and Elsie had three children, it suggests that Arthur was not William (senior)’s child, but perhaps they did not include him because he was born before the marriage?
Obviously, Arthur was not present, and he had already joined the Army and in 1911 was recorded in ‘G’ Company, 1st Essex Regiment Quetta Barracks, Balochistan, India. His occupation was given as Acting Bandsman.
Officially he was recorded as born and living in Stevenage, Herts, (probably Great Wymondley), when he enlisted in London.
Wartime Service
It is assumed Arthur was still serving in the Army when War was declared, but he may have been called from the Reserve. His Medal Card indicates he entered the Theatre of War on the 22 August 1914. Arthur was Killed in Action just two months later on the 21st October 1914, at Le Gheer.
The 2nd Battalion was part of the 12th Brigade in the 4th Division of the 3rd Corps in the Battles of Messines. On the 20th October the 12th Brigade was driven from the village of Le Gheer, north of Frelinghien on the River Lys and south of Messines. The German advance threatened the centre and right of 3rd Corps. A counterattack was ordered and the enemy driven from the village with heavy loss by the Essex Regiment and the Lancashire Fusiliers on the 21st October.
Although originally buried in Ploegsteert Wood New Cemetery, along with eleven comrades killed on the same day, he has no known grave as his was one of the graves destroyed in later battles. He, and others, are therefore remembered on the Ploegsteert Wood New Cemetery Memorial at Strand Military Cemetery in Belgium “To the memory of these eleven British soldiers, killed in action in 1914 and buried at the time in New Cemetery. Whose graces were destroyed in later battles – THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT.” It has been suggested that he does have a headstone (needs corroboration) if so it seems unlikely that his body lies beneath it.
Additional Information
After his death £4 1s 8d pay owing was authorised to go to his mother, Eliza, on 9 October 1919. Later, a war gratuity of £5 was authorised to be paid to her/him on 7 November 1919.
When Arthur died his mother address was recorded and Walsworth, near Hutchin and she was there in the 1921 census, however it is uncertain as to whether Arthur had any personal connection to Walsworth.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
