Arthur Thomas Birdseye

A Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion, Arthur died on 25th of April 1918 at the age of 29. 

Arthur was born at Sutton, Surrey, in 1890, a son of Thomas and Honor Birdseye. In 1891 his family lived at Simplemarsh Road, Chertsey, Surrey. By 1901 they had moved to Lowestoft and lived at 155 London Road. In 1911 the family lived at Sunny Dean, North Cliff, and Arthur was a fish salesman’s clerk.  

In 1915 Artur married Hilda F. Knights: this was registered in the Plomesgate district. Their home was at Oak Cottage, Somerleyton, and later Hilda lived at 38 Marine Parade.  

Arthur served with the 1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion Suffolk Regiment, number 387. His service number suggests that he was a pre-war territorial soldier. Arthur attended an Officer Cadet Battalion before being commissioned in the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) on 28 May 1917. He arrived in France on 31 December 1917. 

Arthur served with D Company 2nd Battalion Machine Gun Corps, he appears to have joined the battalion in late March or early April 1918. Arthur was wounded at Bertrencourt on 23 April and died at one of the Casualty Clearing Stations at Doullens.