Life story retold by Paul Beecroft
Arthur Charles BRUNT
F/28004 ‘Z’ Coy, Reading Forage Dept.
Army Service Corps
4th April 1916
Arthur Charles BRUNT was born in Chirbury, Shropshire and baptised in Chirbury on April 11th 1873. His parents were Henry BRUNT a School Master and Rebecca BLUNT (nee BOOT). Arthur’s siblings were Henry Thomas (1864), Mary K. (1868), Walter E. (1875) and Percy H. (1878).
In 1881 the census shows the family residing in the village of Martin in Sleaford Lincolnshire. Arthur is shown as 8 years old and a Scholar.
As with many people born over a hundred years ago, very little, if anything, is known about their childhood and early teens and this is so with Arthur. At the age of 16 or 17 he is thought to have been employed for a time as a Clerk, but no other details are known.
He did not remain a Clerk though, for on 16th February 1891 at the age of 18 he joined the Grenadier Guards. His rank was as a Private, Number 2895.
His Attestation Papers are however slightly confusing as there are two of them. One of them is marked as ‘Duplicate’. They are not identical, and the differences are only slight, but some parts are difficult to read and due to their age, parts appear to be missing. Initially Arthur signed up for ‘Short Service’ but was permitted to extend his service. Arthur was attached to the 2nd Battalion of the Grenadier Guards.
His career was a bit up and down. In December 1894 he was appointed Lance Corporal, but this did not last long and in July the following year he was demoted back to Private which is believed to have been due to drunkenness. In June 1896 he also forfeited his Good Conduct Badge that had been awarded in September 1894, but it was reinstated in December 1896. In 1898 he is transferred to the Grenadier Guards Reserve. His papers read, “On the expiration of his period of Army Service.”
Arthur then appears to leave the army and return to civilian life. Where he went and what he did remains unknown. The only record found is the census for 1901 which shows him as a visitor at his sister Mary’s house 201, Vicarage Lane, West Ham. Also present is his brother Walter. Arthur’s occupation is shown as a Clerk Ministerial. Arthur is now 28 years old. However, his army papers, which are not easy to understand due to the small parts which are missing, state “Recalled to army service under War Office Letter 26.1.00″.
Nothing further is mentioned until April 1902 when Arthur is shown to be in South Africa and would have been involved in the South African War/Second Boer War. The war would actually have ended shortly after his arrival, but he appears to have remained there until July 1902 and then returned home. For his service in South Africa he was awarded the South African Medal and Cape Colony Clasp.
On February 15th 1903 Arthur is discharged from the army. His papers state that his intended place of residence was in Somersetshire and under “Special qualifications for employment in civil life” it states Clerk.
Between 1903 and 1914 nothing is known of Arthur outside of a comment made in future army papers. There appears to be no record of him in the 1911 census.
In August 1914, Britain declared war with Germany. On 22nd October, at Canning Town, London Arthur signed up once again and joined the Army Service Corps.
His Attestation papers confirm that he is 41 years old, his trade at the time was Dock Labourer, that he had previous service in the army and had been awarded the South African Medal. He was declared medically fit for Transport Work. He was given the rank of Private, and his Regiment No. was 4038.
The role of the Army Service Corps was mainly responsible for the provisioning, procurement and distribution of supplies such as food, water, fuel, clothing and military equipment.
Within 5 days of signing up Arthur was despatched to France leaving on October 27th. His time in France did not last very long. By December winter would have arrived and Arthur became unwell. At the beginning of January 1915 he was admitted into hospital in Rouen, France with Rheumatic Fever. It was established that this had originated in Grimsby in 1909 which was now aggravated by exposure to the cold weather and sleeping in wet clothes. Arthur spent a total of 4 weeks in hospital and was then sent home arriving back in England on February 1st. Arthur was discharged from the Army Service Corps on April 26th 1915 after spending some time in No. 5, Katesgrove Hospital, Reading. His medical report read in part:-
Suffers from pain to joints, shortness of breath on exertion. Heart action is laboured but there is no murmur. He is an old soldier & the hard work in France has aggravated the condition. Fit for a job indoors.
On discharge he gave the address of his brother Percy at 192, Albert Road, Nr. Woolwich, who he recorded as his next of kin. The name and address of his sister Kate was also recorded as being at 32, Avenue Road, Leytonstone, London.
There appears to be no documentation relating to what Arthur was doing or where he was following his discharge but towards the end of 1915 the Forage Department of the Army Service Corps was created. This department was responsible for gathering fodder for the horses and mules employed in France and Belgium. This work was carried out by men who were deemed unfit for army service. Arthur rejoined the Army Service Corps under the name of Arthur Williams. No documentation appears to be available, but the Commonwealth War Graves Commission confirms this. He is shown as a Private with ‘Z’ Coy. Reading Forage Dept. Army Service Corps with the No. F/28004. The letter ‘F’ being for Forage. His time with the Forage Department was not for long and it appears that he was found out as there is a comment in his medical history under his true name which reads:- Report of Med. Bd. On present state 31.3.16. Total Incapacity.
Arthur died just four days later. He is known to have died in Reading, but it is not known exactly where but no doubt it was in one of the War Hospitals.
Arthur is buried in Reading Old Cemetery and commemorated on the Screen Wall.
Division 71-72, War Plot