Arthur's Story.
Arthur came from a large family in Sale. His father, James, earned his living, unenviably, as a nightsoil man. In 1901, when the Census was taken, the family was living at 1 Moor Nook. The children were William (then 16), Charles (14), Mary (12), Annie 10), Arthur (9), Nellie (5) and Alice (8 months). By 1911 Arthur was living at 31 Stopford Street, Stockport and working as a postman. He married Bertha (nee Gouge) in the summer of 1915. They may have lived at 46 Shawcross Street (where Bertha was known to be living in the 1920s. Arthur joined the army in mid-1916 and was assigned to the Cheshire Regiment (service number 44129). It is not known when he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. He was classed Z on the 5th March 1919. Class Z was authorised by an Army order 3rd December 1918, it meant that trained soldiers could be quickly recalled in the event of hostilities resuming, men returned to civilian life but with an obligation to return if called upon. The War Graves Commission does not record with which unit of the Corps Arthur fought. He is known to have died from an illness and his inclusion in the Commission's Debt of Honour Register means that the illness must have been contracted as a direct consequence of his War service
The probate register shows that Arthur left effects of £160.00 to his widow Bertha