Arthur Henry Clare was born in Oswestry in 1896. His parents were John and Phoebe Clare. They had married in July 1886, Their first child Sarah, was born in 1887, she died aged 3 in 1891, their second child, Richard died in January 1892, aged 21 days. They then had 2 more children. Ethel and Wlliam, before Arthur. Then in May 1899 Pheobe died, probably a complication from the birth of her second daughter and 6^th child, Elizabeth – she would die age 7 months.

Arthur’s father was a blacksmith’s striker at the Railway Works. The family had lived at 4 Victoria Terrace, Albert Road. By 1901 Arthur, his brother and father were boarding at 40 Gate Street, sister Ethel was working as a domestic servant at Hoole. By 1911 they were boarding at 8 Cripplegate and, by the time of the war had moved to 12 Sunny Bank, Castle Street. By the end of the war Arthur’s father was living at the Union Morda (Oswestry Workhouse Morda). It is not known what Arthur’s job was; his father and brother worked at the Railway Locomotive in the blacksmith shop and it is possible he followed them – possibly working for GWR rather the Cambrian Railway.

Arthur is listed as one of the first contingent of Oswestry Pals which left the Town on 9 September 1914. However, his service papers record him enlisting on 5 May 1915 at Shrewsbury joining the in 3/4 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry – a training and reserve battalion. It is probable he had first enlisted in September 1914 in the ‘Pals’ and had for some reason been rejected and then re-enlisted. Regardless, he embarked for France on 7 September 1916 and was then compulsory transferred under Army Order 204/16 to the 8 Bn South Lancashire Regiment. He was wounded twice, first in October 1916 and again in August 1917 when he had been hit by shrapnel. On returning to duty for the second time he was posted to 2 Bn Sth. Lancs. In September 1917, he received 7 days confined to camp for being found in a local village without a pass. In July 1918 he was disciplined for a second time, this time for refusing to obey an order and was sentenced to 7 days Field Punishment Number.

Whether or not he served his punishment is not known. Arthur was KIA on 21 August 1918, where he was declared missing, (presumably dead). At the time of his death 2 Bn Sth. Lancs. was operating near to Locre. On 21 August the battalion was ordered forward to prepare a new line. At 2.05am the battalion advanced under cover of a creeping barrage towards their objective of Locrehof Farm Ridge. Enemy resistance was light and about an hour later they had taken and consolidated the new position. Things remained quiet but at 9am the enemy started shelling which continued throughout the day. Arthur’s body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. He is also commemorated at St Oswald’s Church, Oswestry.

Arthur’s brother, William also served in the army, as a Private in the Manchester Regiment. He was wounded at Gallipoli in June 1915 but survived the war and was discharged in December 1918.

Acknowledgements.

References and Sources

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