No.434517, Lance Corporal, Arthur William AUSTIN
Aged 23
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Arthur William Austin was born on 19th November 1893 in Beyton (1st qtr 1894 Stow 4a:813) son of Frederick William and Catherine Ann AUSTIN (née DRAKE).
Canadian records have him born in 1895, that is at variance with General Records Office.
1901 census...Aged 7, he was at The Green, Beyton with his father Frederick AUSTIN [28] church sexton/gardenere, born Hessett; his mother Catherine [30] grocer/draper, born Rougham; brother Walter H [5] born Beyton. 1911 census...Aged 16, a pawnbroker's assistant, he was lodging at 136 Commercial Road, Peckham. His parents were at The White Horse, Beyton, with his brother Walter and sister Catherine [14] born Beyton |
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He attested in Calgary on 25th January 1915. A clerk, he was 5 feet 7 inches tall, chest 32 to 35 inches, brown eyes, dark hair, Church of Englnad, next of kin his father Frederick.
He arrived in UK on 6th November 1915 per SS "Orduna" and was posted to 50th battalion at Bramshott. He was posted to the 32nd Reserve battalion at
Shorncliffe on 2nd February 1916. He was hospitalised at Monks Horton with a hernia on 21st February and was opreated on 23rd Feb. Transferred to the Canadian Machine Gun depot on 23rd June 1916, before being posted to
the 2nd Battalion on 19th July 1916 overseas. He received shrapnel wounds to right thigh and abdomen on 6th April 1917, was admitted to 13 General Hospital
on 8th and amongst other treatments had his right arm amputated. Gas gangrene was present and he died from his wounds on 15th April. At that time his parents were at the "White Horse Inn ", Beyton, later moving to The Stone Cottage, Thurston. The battalion war diary is not much help. Records have him wounded on 6th, but they were not in the trenches then. On 5th the diary has:- TRENCHES.(Left) MAISON BLANCHE SECTOR About 4.00 a.m. a raiding party entered German front line trench with a view of securing identification, Trench was found to be unoccupied but after waiting for a period of 3 hours and 15 minutes a party of 5 Germans were observed coming up a communication trench, on being halted the enemy beat a hasty retreat hotly persued by our party who succeeded in mortally wounding one of the enemy who died while being carried back to our lines. He proved to be an officer of the 3rd Bavarian R.I.R. Important identifications were thus secured, Our casualties Nil. Our artillery retaliated vigourously to hostile shelling. At 3.00 p.m. raiding parties again entered enemy trenches for the purpose of obtaining further identification and verbal information. On the approach of our party enemy was seen to retreat to his support line (Strength estimated at about 1 Rifle per yard). As no opposition was encountered our party proceeded to his support line where he reorganized and came back in considerable strength.No prisoners were secured but numerous casualties were inflicted on the enemy. During this raid Lieut. L.W. Tubman, i/c raid and Lieut. R.G. Foley, (Scout Officer) performed many brave feats for which they were awarded the Military Cross. Our casualties slight. The Battalion was relieved tonight by the 13th and 16th Canadian Battalions, and proceeded to billets in CAMBLAIN L'ABBE. Weather. Fine.No prisoners were secured but numerous casualties were inflicted on the enemy. During this raid Lieut. L.W. Tubman, i/c raid and Lieut. R.G. Foley, (Scout Officer) performed many brave feats for which they were awarded the Military Cross. Our casualties slight. The Battalion was relieved tonight by the 13th and 16th Canadian Battalions, and proceeded to billets in CAMBLAIN L'ABBE. Weather. Fine.
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