Pte 52481 Arthur Walker

• Age: 31
• From: Peterborough, Northants
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 9th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Arras Memorial
  Panel Ref: Bay 3

Arthur Walker Staplee was born in Peterborough in 1887, the grandson of William and Susannah (nee Simmons) Walker, and the son of their teenage daughter Charlotte Emma. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at Fengate Peterborough. His grandfather, William, is aged 72, born in Peterborough in 1839 occupation gravel merchant. His children all born in Peterborough are shown as; John aged 43, born 1868 occupation gravel workman, Kate aged 40, born 1871, Emma aged 38. born 1873 housekeeper to head of household, Ada aged 27, born 1884 works in a corset factory, Arthur aged 24, born 1887 occupation assistant head in business, Walter aged 22, born 1889, Thomas aged 14, born 1897 corporation labourer on a sewage farm and niece Emma aged 20, born 1891.

Arthur married Florrie Patrick in the first quarter of 1915 and they had a son Arthur Edward born 18th May 1915.

He enlisted in Peterborough joining the Northampton Regiment as Private 20506.

He was subsequently transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 52481. He was killed in action aged 31 on 9th April 1917 on the opening day of the Battle of Arras.

Arras 09^th April 1917

Details of the circumstances the 18^th Battalion had to contend with are illustrated below:

The battalion formed the left assaulting battalion of the brigade, the 2^nd Wiltshire Regiment being on the right, the 19^th Manchester Regiment being in support and 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment furnishing “moppers -up”  for the two assaulting battalions. The brigade advance was timed to begin at ---- hour after “Zero”, suited to conform with the movements of 56^th Division and other divisions on our left further north (near Arras). This battalion’s objective was the front-line system Lion Lane on the left (exclusive) to Panther Lane on right (exclusive). This sector included the strongpoint known as “The Egg”.

The brigade advanced at prearranged time, i.e., 11.38 a.m, from position of assembly trenches south of Neuville Vitasse to German front line. This necessitated an advance across the open of at least 2,000 yards. This area up to Neuville Vitasse- Henin road was crossed in artillery formation; after this, owing to machine-gun fire and considerable resistance from German posts forward in the sunken roads, it was found necessary to deploy. During the whole movement across the open the advancing columns had been under considerable artillery fire from guns of all calibres. On gaining the position immediately in front of German line it was found that the wire was practically uncut; this wire formed two strong belts in front of German trenches. Two small gaps were eventually discovered and Second-Lieut H.F.Merry gallantly led a bombing party through them, but his three remaining men were killed as they reached the German trenches.

From the moment the battalion was “held up” in front of German wire Capt. R. W. Jones, the senior company commander on the spot, at once began the work of consolidating in front of German wire. The battalion held on in this position for the remainder of the day, until relieved by the 16^th Manchester Regiment about 3 a.m. on the 10^th of April, all the time under intense machine-gun and rifle fire.

Between 9th-10th April, 1917, the 18th King's lost 2 officers 2nd Lt. F. Ashcroft and 2nd Lt. H.G. Ewing and 59 other ranks killed. 8 other officers were wounded. 

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in France. 

The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918. Canadian and Australian servicemen killed in these operations are commemorated by memorials at Vimy and Villers-Bretonneux. A separate memorial remembers those killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, with sculpture by Sir William Reid Dick. The memorial was unveiled by Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force on the 31 July 1932 (originally it had been scheduled for 15 May, but due to the sudden death of French President Doumer, as a mark of respect, the ceremony was postponed until July).

Arthur is also commemorated on the War Memorial within Peterborough and District Memorial Hospital.