Military History

Arthur is listed as being killed in action on the 1st April 1918 during the Action at Rifle Wood, part of the German Spring Offensive. The following description of events of that day comes courtesy of the website of the Museum of the Queens Royal Hussars.

Easter Monday, 1st April 1918 the Battle for Rifle Wood

Between the 21st of March and the 2nd of April, as the Germans pushed almost to the gates of Amiens, the 3rd Hussars had already paid a terrible price, 6 officers and 122 other ranks, killed and wounded. But the bloodiest battle was yet to come at Rifle Wood, on April the 1st, after the 2nd Cavalry Division had received an urgent call to join the Fifth Army in front of Amiens.

Rifle Wood was the last of a series of brilliant small actions in the Avre and Luce valleys, undertaken by units of British cavalry and the Canadian Cavalry Brigade. The Germans had been advancing steadily-as much as five miles a day and by the 29th of March, they had gained a footing in Moreuil Wood, only twelve miles southeast of Amiens. It is doubtful if the exhausted infantry could have saved the town, but for the arrival of the cavalry.

On the 30th of March, the 3rd Brigade and the Canadians restored the infantry line with a splendid attack on Moreuil Wood, and the 12th Lancers were especially distinguished near Hangard Wood, north of the Luce; but on the 31st, after the Germans had again driven the infantry from most of Moreuil Wood and, even more important, from the commanding heights of Rifle Wood and the ridge running towards Hangard, the entire 2nd Cavalry Division was alerted for the great counter-attack that began at 8.56 next morning.