Arthur Gibbs. Died 19 April 1917
Arthur was born in 1894 the eldest son of Ellen. We do not know when Arthur’s father died, but by 1911 Ellen had been re-married 10 years and had 4 younger children with Edward Richard Beaven, who was a bricklayer. They lived at 3 Exchange Road, Denmark St Wokingham.
Arthur joined the 4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment (200367) and rose to the rank of Lance Corporal. We do not know in which action Arthur was wounded, but he must have been brought back through the casualty evacuation process and died at home on 19th April 1917. He is buried in All Saint’s Wokingham.
From the Reading Mercury 28th April 1917:
A great many people attended the funeral of Private Gibbs (Royal Berks), which took place on Monday afternoon at All Saints’ Church. The deceased was wounded in the head, and had been in hospital at Leeds for some nine months, having undergone several operations. He was 22 years of age and an old Palmer School Boy. The funeral was attended by the Palmer School Cadet Corps., the Boys’ Brigade, and members of the local Volunteer Corps. A bugler and six men were present from the Depot at Reading. The service was conducted by the Rector (the Rev. B. Long). Hymn, “Lead Kindly Light,” and the Russian National Anthem were played by the band of the Cadet Corps whose drums were muffled. The coffin was covered with the Union Jack, and the “Last Post,” was sounded at the conclusion of the service.
From this account we can tell that Arthur was probably wounded in the summer of 1916, the 4th Battalion were fighting on the Somme that summer and probably he was another casualty of that battle.
http://www.purley.eu/H142P/P243-Int2.pdf
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