Arthur Ernest Freestone

A Private with the 8th Battalion, Arthur died on 19th of July 1916 at the age of 25. 

Artur was born at Kirkley on 25 May 1891, a son of Last and Esther Freestone. From 1 June 1896 Arthur was a pupil at Kirkley School. He was baptised at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley, on 4 June 1899 and his family lived at 24 Beaconsfield Road. In 1901 they lived at 55 Beaconsfield Road, and this was still their home in 1911 when Arthur worked as a general carter. 

Artur enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment and was posted to the 8th Battalion and arrived in France, with the battalion, on 25 July 1915.  

At 5 a.m. on 19 July 1916 the 8th Battalion were ordered to retake the village of Longueval. At 8 a.m. the battalion was heavily shelling and a number of casualties resulted. Progress was very slow and other units could not get into position. From 12.35 Stokes mortars were used to bombard the enemy positions and there was a heavy enemy barrage in the village. At 1.30 p.m. the assault was delivered by the battalion took heavy casualties from artillery and machine-gun fire. The battalion held its positions and there was heavily shelling, from both sides, during the night. 

Arthur was killed in action on 19 July.