Pte
Lesley James Arterton
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1889 |
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Place of birth: Felthorpe, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Day laborer |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: G/40248 |
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Units: — Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Jetty Wood, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 28 |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: VI Row: B Grave: 11 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 24/09/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 24/09/1920 |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Private Lesley James Arterton served in the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) 2nd Battalion, part of the 91st Brigade, of the 7th Division.
On the 4th of October 1917 the 7th Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. The Division advanced with two Brigades, the 20th Brigade on the left and the 91st on the right. They advanced from positions just northeast of Polygon Wood. Their objective was the Broodseinde Ridge and the Beselare-Passchendaele Road. The attack of the 91st Brigade was carried by the South Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion and the Manchester Regiment 22nd Battalion. The Manchester Regiment 21st Battalion was in reserve around the Butte in Polygon Wood.
In the late night of October the 3rd the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) 2nd Battalion, who had only recently arrived in Flanders, also moved up to the frontline near Polygon Wood. They spend the night in a camp near Surbiton Villas along the Menin Road. They stayed there till noon on the 4th of October 1917. When the Battalion was ordered to move to a position in reserve and dig in near the Butte, in Polygon Wood. Here the Queen’s were exposed to very heavy shelling, and were unable to dig a greater depth than two feet owing to the presence of water near the surface. At about 5 p.m. “B”, “C” and “D” Companies were placed at the disposal of the South Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion. “C” and “D” Companies were sent to Jetty Trench with orders to dig in and hold themselves ready for a counterattack. “B” was moved to Jolting Houses to form a defensive flank if the 21st Division was held up.
The Battalion was relieved on the night of the 6th and 7th of October 1917.
Private Lesley James Arterton was killed in action on the 4th of October 1917.He was initially buried in Jetty Wood, near Jetty Trench. The place of his initial grave may indicate that he fell due to German shell fire, while holding posiitons near Jetty Trench. His remains were exhumed after the war and reinttered in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
On the 4th of October 1917 the 7th Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. The Division advanced with two Brigades, the 20th Brigade on the left and the 91st on the right. They advanced from positions just northeast of Polygon Wood. Their objective was the Broodseinde Ridge and the Beselare-Passchendaele Road. The attack of the 91st Brigade was carried by the South Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion and the Manchester Regiment 22nd Battalion. The Manchester Regiment 21st Battalion was in reserve around the Butte in Polygon Wood.
In the late night of October the 3rd the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) 2nd Battalion, who had only recently arrived in Flanders, also moved up to the frontline near Polygon Wood. They spend the night in a camp near Surbiton Villas along the Menin Road. They stayed there till noon on the 4th of October 1917. When the Battalion was ordered to move to a position in reserve and dig in near the Butte, in Polygon Wood. Here the Queen’s were exposed to very heavy shelling, and were unable to dig a greater depth than two feet owing to the presence of water near the surface. At about 5 p.m. “B”, “C” and “D” Companies were placed at the disposal of the South Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion. “C” and “D” Companies were sent to Jetty Trench with orders to dig in and hold themselves ready for a counterattack. “B” was moved to Jolting Houses to form a defensive flank if the 21st Division was held up.
The Battalion was relieved on the night of the 6th and 7th of October 1917.
Private Lesley James Arterton was killed in action on the 4th of October 1917.He was initially buried in Jetty Wood, near Jetty Trench. The place of his initial grave may indicate that he fell due to German shell fire, while holding posiitons near Jetty Trench. His remains were exhumed after the war and reinttered in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
Sources 6
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"History of the Queen's Royal Regiment", Wylly H.C., Wellington, Gale & Polden, s.d., 112-116. Sources used |
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"The third Ypres Passchendaele : the day-by-day account", McCarthy C., London, Arms & Armour, 1995, pg. 98-100. Sources used |
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/480098/arterton,-/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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War Diary Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 2nd Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |