Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

A/Cpl 57677 Arthur Eyre Willars

Age: 21
From: Kirkby in Ashfield
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
D.O.W Tuesday 10th April 1917
Commemorated at: Warlincourt Halte Brit Cem
Panel Ref: VII.A.9

Arthur Eyre Willars was born in the March quarter of 1896 in Kirby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, the youngest son of John Thomas Weston Willars, a coalminer, and his wife Mary Ann Eyre (nee Fewkes) of 11 Wesley Strret, Annesley Woodhouse. His father was born in 1852 in Markfield, Leicester, whilst his mother was born in 1854 in Whitwick, Leciestershire. They married in 1875 and had 14 children, 7 of whom sadly died in infancy or early childhood. Athur's surviving siblings were John, Samuel, Frank Eyre, Willie, Clara, and George.

At the time of the 1901 Census the family is living in East Street, Kirby in Ashfield, with five sons and a daughter, Arthur is 5. His father is a coal miner, and his brothers Sam, 23, and Frank, 15, also work in the mines, Sam as a miner/hewer, and Frank as a pony driver.

The 1911 Census shows that the family were living at 11 Wesley Street. His father and the three boys all work in the mines, his father, 59, and Willie, 23, as hewers, George, 18, as a loader, and Arthur, 16,is shown as being employed as a pony driver. His sister Clara is 21, employed as a blouse hand. His brothers John, Samuel, and Frank, are married and no longer live at home.

Before the war Arthur was well known in local cycling circles; he placed in many competitions in the area. He won the one-mile novice handicap race in August 1912 when he was 16, and was still competing when he could after joining up: Pte. A. E. Willars won the one-mile cycle race final in the Shirebrook Colliery annual sports day on 24th July 1915 and came third in the half mile.

(Many Shirebrook miners served in Tunnelling Companies during the war.)

He enlisted in Nottingham as Private 230 in the North Midlands Cyclist Company. He was transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment and was serving as Corporal 57677 when he died of wounds on 10th April 1917 aged 21.

Arthur now rests at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery.

The site of the cemetery was chosen in May 1916. It was used from June 1916 to May 1917 by the 20th and 43rd Casualty Clearing Stations, in February 1917 by the 1/1st South Midland, and from April to June 1917 by the 32nd. The whole of plots VII, VIII, IX and X were filled in April and May 1917, the months of the Battles of Arras. From June 1917, the cemetery was practically unused until the fighting of May and June 1918, when field ambulances buried in it. After the Armistice the cemetery was increased by graves brought in from other smaller cemeteries.

The cemetery now contains 1,266 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There are also 29 German and two French war graves.

The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

His death was reported in an article in the Beeston Gazette and Echo in 5th May 1917 under the heading:

“Well Known Athlete Killed”:

“A further sacrifice on the battlefields of France is furnished in the death of Corporal Arthur E. Willars, of 11, Wesley Street, Annesley Woodhouse, who held a wonderful record as an athlete. He was in the King’s Liverpool Regiment and as in civil life, so in military spheres, he was very energetic. Step by step he had advanced in the Army, and at the time of his death he held the rank of Corporal, with every prospect of immediately coming over to England to sit for a commission. Unfortunately, on April 10 his promising career was cut short, being shot in the stomach and intestines. He was immediately hurried to the hospital but from the first it was realised that his case was a most serious one and he soon breathed his last.

“How Corporal A. E. Willars entered the Army is a rather interesting story. His brother and himself debated the question some time ago as to who should go, and they drew lots for the decision. It fell on the other brother to join the Army, in which he remained for six months. Then he was discharged and on his return to civil life Albert [sic] felt it was incumbent upon him to do his bit. He accordingly presented himself at the Mansfield recruiting office but was rejected. Not satisfied with that decision he next went to Nottingham, where he was accepted for the Cycling Corps, and last November[*] donned the khaki. No one will deny that he was a hero under such circumstances, and his death is greatly regretted, not only by his own relatives, but by many friends in Annesley Woodhouse and the wider neighbourhood, throughout which he was exceedingly popular. As a cycle racer he had few rivals. He had won dozens of prizes and was second in the cup to Parkin at the Hucknall Sports last Whitsuntide, and third the year before.”

*The amount of the War Gratuity, £9-10s, which went to his mother Mary, suggests that Arthur served for about two years, enlisting in the spring of 1915, after his brother was discharged.

His brother George Eyre Willars enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters in Mansfield on 17th October 1914. He was discharged on 4th February 1915 on medical grounds (vision problems).

From the available pension card showing his mother as claimant, it is not apparent that a pension was awarded.

His father died in 1931 aged 77, and his mother in 1935 at the age of 79.

Arthur is also commemorated on the War Memorials at St John the Evangelist Church, Annesley Woodhouse and at Kirby in Ashfield.

We currently have no further information on Arthur Eyre Willars, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

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