Name
Arthur William Jefford
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
754448
Canadian Infantry, Royal Highlanders of Canada
“A” Company 73rd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BARLIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
I. G. 61.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Croxley Green Village Memorial, Croxley Green, All Saints' Church Shrine, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial, Not on the St Albans memorials(*1)
Pre War
Arthur was born on 2 August 1893 in St Albans and was 23 when he died. In 1911 he lived with his parents, Ernest William and Ellen Jefford, in Croxley Hall Farm Cottages.
The family were farm labourers who seem to have moved around from farm to farm in the Watford and St. Albans area.
Arthur emigrated to Canada. When he enlisted on 6 February 1916 he was living at 25 Gore St., Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. Ernest and Ellen were still at Croxley Hall in 1918 but subsequently moved to Berkhamsted.
Recorded as enlisting in Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, Canada.
Wartime Service
Arthur William Jefford attested on 4 February 1916 at Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, Canada where he was living at 125 Gore Street. He gave his occupation as a labourer and his age as 22 years and 6 months.
He joined the 119th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and sailed from Halifax to Liverpool on S S Metagama, arriving on 19 August 1916. He was transferred to ‘A’ Company 73rd Battalion on 15 November 1916, the day he arrived in France.
On 13 January 1917 he was wounded as a result of being buried by a shell but discharged back to duty on 20 January. He was appointed acting Lance Corporal on 17 February 1917.
Arthur Jefford died during the build up to the Arras offensive and the Canadian attack on Vimy Ridge. On 4 April the battalion moved from Chateau de la Haie into the line below Vimy ridge. Arthur was dangerously wounded and he died of his wounds in the 6th Casualty Clearing Station at Bethune, two days later. He is buried in Barlin communal cemetery extension south of Bethune.
Additional Information
*1 Records found have recorded his birthplace as St Albans. This may be the case, however St Albans was the main postal location given for nearby villages and hamlets, so it may be that this information is misleading. If more accurate information found this will be updated.
Acknowledgments
Brian Thomson, Croxley Green in the First World War Rickmansworth Historical Society 2014
