South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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 The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Rifleman 4832 Arthur John WHEELER - 1st/8th Battalion London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)


Killed in Action on Saturday, October 7, 1916 aged 27


Military History

   
Theatre of WarMedalsCommonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders British War & Victory Medals Thiepval Memorial
     
Arrived in TheatreMedal Citation (if app)SWFHS Area Memorials
After 1 Jan 1916 ~ Coughton  |  Sambourne  |  Alcester
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason KilledDate and Place EnlistedOther War Memorials
Battle of the Somme After 8 Oct 1915 in London  
     
Place of DeathPrevious Regiments or Units  
Butte de Warlincourt  ~  
     

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

The attack on Butte de Warlincourt by Arthur's battalion and two other London Regiment battalions - 1/7th (City of London) and 1st/15th Battalion, London Regiment - was a complete failure. The 47th (London) Division history tells us that they ‘met the full force of the enemy artillery and machine gun fire, cleverly sited in depth, so as to bring a withering cross fire to bear along the western slopes leading up to the Butte and the high ground to the south of it. From across the valley the enemy had magnificent observation of the ground leading to our objective and made full use of it…not a man turned back, and some got right up under the Butte, but they were not seen again.”

The attack had started at 13:45 with the creeping barrage moving forward too fast and the War Diary says that the battalion was ”badly cut up”. Casualties, which included Arthur, numbered 354.

Arthur’s body was never identified and he is commemorated at Coughton, Sambourne and on the Thiepval Memorial.



 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/PlaceBapitsm Date/Place
5 May 1888 at Alcester 24 Jun 1888 at Alcester
   
Parents NamesParents Abode
John and Eliza Wheeler Alcester
   
WifeMarriage Date/Place
Fanny Wheeler nee Daffin Apr Qtr 1911 at Alcester
   
SchoolsColleges
  ~
   
Address HistoryEmployment History                       
1891 - Bleachfield Street, Alcester 1911 - Postman
1901 - Bleachfield Street, Alcester  1915 - Postman
1911 - Malt Mill Lane, Alcester  
1915 - Coughton