Arthur Herbert George Freestone

A Private with the 5th Battalion, Arthur died on 11th of April 1917 at the age of 36. 

Arthur was born at Lowestoft on 8 June 1880, a son of George Henry and Harriet E. Freestone. In 1881 his family lived at 20 Clapham Road, Lowestoft, and by 1891 at 2 Jacob’s Street. In 1901 they lived at 96 Haward Street and Arthur was a grocer’s assistant. Later his family lived at 241 Raglan Street. 

Arthur moved to Canada and by 1 April 1911 he was living at Toronto. On 25 May 1912, Arthur married Annie Laura Florence. By January 1916 they were living at 21 Fenwick Avenue, Toronto, and later Annie lived at Highfield Road, Toronto. After Arthur’s death Annie returned to her home town of Norwich, Norfolk.  

Arthur was working as a clerk when he attested for the Canadian Army at Toronto on 17 January 1916. He joined the 166th Battalion. He embarked at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 18 October 1916 and arrived at Liverpool on 28 October 1916. On 27 November he was transferred to the 5th Canadian Mounted Infantry, at Seaford. Arthur arrived in France on 1 December 1916 and spent time at the Canadian Base Depot before joining his unit in the field on 25 December 1916.

We do not know exactly when Arthur was wounded, but it was most probably during the 5th Battalion’s attack at Swischen Stellung and Fickle Trenches, Vimy, on 9-10 April 1917. Arthur received shrapnel wounds to his back and a compound fracture to a femur. He died of his wounds at 22 Casualty Clearing Station on 11 April 1917. 

Arthur’s brother Harry served with the Suffolk Regiment and died in 1917.