Pte Arthur Laws
7 Pte Arthur Laws
16692 3rd Bn att 9th Bn Duke Wellington's (West Riding Reg) Age: 26 Died: 02-Mar-16 Listed: Great Dunham Memorial Remembered: Menin Gate Husband of Eleanor Dye (formerly Laws) Wacton Common, Long Stratton William enlisted in Norwich right at the beginning of the war on 28th August, 1914, initially joining the Dragoons. He was posted to the 3rd Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment on 15th June 1915. Arthur was posted to the 9th battalion on 27th January 1916 on arrival in France and joined the battalion for duty in the field on 15th February 1916. He was reported as wounded on 3rd March and then wounded and missing on 25th March 1916 and finally reported as killed in action on 6th April. The Battalion was near Ypres at the time, at an important area known as The Bluff.
Biography Arthur was born in Littleport in 1890, son of Arthur Culley and Louisa Laws. He was largely brought up by his grandparents, Robert Laws (who was a shepherd) and Sarah Laws. During the early part of his childhood the family lived in South Pickenham in Norfolk but by the time he was 11 years old the family had moved to Barwick near Docking and Arthur attended school in Stanhoe. In 1910 Arthur’s grandfather, Robert, retired and the family moved to Little Dunham, Robert was later to be buried in Litcham. In the census of 1911 they are recorded as living in Little Dunham at which time Arthur is described as a Horseman on a Farm. In 1912 Arthur married Eleanor Gage Barret, daughter of William and Sarah Gage, the couple moving into Cannister Farm shortly after marrying. In 1914 they were living at Cannister Farm, Great Dunham, with a son Arthur, born in 1912, and a daughter Annie, born in 1913. Arthur enlisted in Norwich right at the beginning of the war on 28th August, 1914, initially joining the Dragoons. He was posted to the 3rd Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment on 15th June 1915. Arthur was posted to the 9th battalion on 27th January 1916 on arrival in France and joined the battalion for duty in the field on 15th February 1916. He was reported as wounded on 3rd March and then wounded and missing on 25th March 1916 and finally reported as killed in action on 6th April. The Battalion was near Ypres at the time, at an important area known as The Bluff. His body was not found and Arthur is the only man from the two villages whose name is recorded on the Menin Gate. Arthur’s grandson still lives in Norfolk and he provided a number of items for this file including the photograph of Arthur on a horse and a copy of the remembrance card with verses chosen by Eleanor: “His toils are past, his work is done, And he is fully blest; He fought the fight, the victory won, And entered into rest. Had he ask’d us well we know, We should cry, O spare this blow Yes, with streaming tears should " Biography written by Erin. |
Arthur Laws: (Thanks to Mr A Clarke)
Card sent by Arthur to his wife, Eleanor
The Menin Gate
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