Arthur Hetherington

Key Information

Name: Arthur Hetherington
DoB: August 20 1888
Regt: King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
DoD: March 22 1918
Academic Career: CGS 1905-7

Biographical Information

  • Family Background

    Arthur was the youngest of ten children born to Samuel Hetherington and his wife Annie Barnfather. Both families were large and had been in the Brampton area for many generations. Arthur had 15 aunts and uncles, the majority of whom were hand loom weavers. Samuel began his working career as a weaver too, but soon progressed to become a rural manager, and later combined the jobs of a postman with being a boot and shoe dealer. They lived on Back Street 1851-91, and then on Main Street. Samuel died in 1905 and in 1911 his widow and four of their children including Arthur were living in Shields House, Brampton which had 11 rooms. Arthur and his brother Samuel both became school teachers. By 1918 Samuel and his sister Mary were living at 27, River Street, Carlisle, Arthur gave this as his permanent address on enlistment on 1915

     

  • Academic Record

    Arthur joined the pupil teacher’s class at the grammar school in 1905 and stayed for two years. By 1911 he was an elementary school teaching assistant, still living at home with his widowed mother. He attended Dundee Teacher Training College from 1911-13. He then moved to the north-east, and took a job as assistant master at Haverton Hill School near Middlesbrough.

  • War Service

    Arthur enlisted on December 9 1915. He is described as 5ft 7 1/4″ tall, and 119 pounds, but was in need of dental treatment. He went into the reserves and was mobilized on February 29 1916. He went to France on June 15 1916 and was promoted to lance-corporal on October 31.  He was sent to officer cadet school in Bristol on June 8 1917 . He was awarded his commission as 2nd Lieutenant on September 25 1917  and joined the 9th battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He was killed in action on March 22 1918 on the Somme during the German spring offensive. The war diary states that when a roll call was taken at 7.50pm  it was concluded from information received that five officers and 70 other ranks had been killed or wounded in the withdrawal.

  • Battalion

    9th Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

  • Other

    In Arthur’s file at the National Archives there was a letter to the War Office from a Miss Whitehurst,

    ” Sir, I shall be very grateful if you can give me any news of my fiancee 2nd Lt. Arthur Hetherington from whom I have not heard since March 13 1918. He is in 9th Kings Own Light Infantry B.E.F. If he is amongst the casualties there is no way by which I could hear as I do not know any of his relations and shall be glad therefore to hear any news of him which may have come to hand. Thanking you, Yours etc.” The address she gave was Bristol, presumably they had met whilst he was at cadet school there.

     Brampton does not have a traditional war memorial but it has a War Memorial Hospital. Inside the front door there is a huge board which dominates the reception area and lists the men of the Brampton area who perished 1914-18. As well as Arthur, two of his cousins, Isaac and Cyril Dudley Hetherington are also listed. Arthur left £200 18s.

  • Sources

    www.Ancestry.co.uk Probate Register

    KOYLI War diary for March 1918. National Archives.

    WO339/112362. National Archives.

    Census:

    1841: HO107/167/13

    1851: HO107/2427

    1861: RG9/3907 & 3508

    1871: RG10/5209

    1881: RG11/5149

    1891: RG12/4280

    1901: RG13/4859

    1911: RG14/31263

    CGS Memorial Register

    CWGC

    www.freebmd.org