No.G/21091, Private, Arthur MURFET
Aged 25
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Arthur Murfet was born in Fordham on 8th March 1892,(Newmarket Q2-1892 3B:537), baptised in Soham on 20th March 1903, son of Alfred and Mary MURFET
(née STITTLE) of Thorn Street, Soham.
1901 census...In this census they are "Murfit". Aged 9, he was at Thorn Street, Soham with his father Alfred MURFIT [45] a labourer born Soham; his mother Mary [48] born Soham; brothers Albert [18] saddler's apprentice, Burton [17] farm labourer, William [16] farm labourer and Frederick [10] all born Fordham; twin brothers [7] Walter and John born Soham and Robert, born Soham; sister Ethel [14] born Fordham. 1911 census...Aged 19, farm labourer, he was boarding with John and Maria PAYNE at 17 Crosby's Row, Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire. His parents, the twins Walter and John, and Robert were at Townsend, Soham. The family later moved to The Shade, Soham. His brothers Frederick and Walter were killed in action . None of the three brothers has an identified grave. Frederick Murfet was killed on 26th October 1916 see here and Walter Murfet was killed on 1st July 1916 see here |
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He enlisted in Newmarket in March 1915. Wounded in France on January 6th 1916 he was evacuated to UK and after recovery retuned to France in August 1917
only to receive mortal wounds 3 months later on the Ypres salient.
On the 20th October the battalion were in the line between Langemarck and St Julien, and heavily shelled between 5 and 6 pm between MINTY & BULOW FARMS. "C" Company suffered severe casualties. On the 21st they held the line. With no Army service records available, only the following press report informs us that this was when Arthur was wounded. 16 are recorded as killed that day, only three with a known grave. Local press report:- An official notification has been received by Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Murfet, of the Shade, to the effect that their son, Pte Arthur Murfet, Queen's Royal West Surrey Regt., died from wounds received in action on Oct.21st. The deceased soldier, who is the fifth son of his parents, enlisted in March, 1915, and was drafted to France the following September, He was wounded on Jan,6th,1916, after which he came home to England. Recovering from those wounds he again went to France in August, 1917, and had only been back about three months before he received his fatal wounds. The blow which has thus fallen upon Mr. and Mrs. Murfet is made more severe by reason of the fact that they have previously had one son killed in action - Pte Walter Murfet, Suffolk Regt., - whilst four others are still fighting on the Western Front, and another is in England, suffering from wounds received in action.
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
