Pte 43563 Arthur Aspinwall

The 1901 Census shows 8 year old Arthur with his siblings and Parents at 150 Wavertree Vale, Liverpool. 

 

The 1911 Census at the same address shows 18 year old Arthur and his father Alfred as self employed Window Cleaner. 

 

17th November 1913 now 21 years old and living at 8 Newhouse Road Liverpool he marries Charlotte Derby at St Catherine's Church, Edge Hill. His sister Martha was a witness. His profession is declared as a Liverpool Corporation Tramway shed attendant.

 

On the 18 January 1914 their first child, Arthur Alfred Aspinwall, is born.

 

In the Autumn of 1914 he enlisted in Liverpool joining the 20th Battalion (Pals) of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 22605.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 07^th November 1915.

On 22 January 1915 his second son Ernest is born, so Arthur will have been able to spend time with his new born son before leaving Liverpool.

Arthur's service papers haven't survived so it is impossile t determine his exact movements but we do know that he was transferred to 2nd Battalion of The Prince of Wales' Volunteers South Lancs Regt as Private 43563.

He died of wounds on the 12th April 1918 in Flanders, Belgium aged 25 and now rests at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinghe, Belgium where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"REST SWEET REST"

During the First World War, the village of Lijssenthoek was situated on the main communication line between the Allied military bases in the rear and the Ypres battlefields. Close to the Front, but out of the extreme range of most German field artillery, it became a natural place to establish casualty clearing stations. The cemetery was first used by the French 15th Hopital D'Evacuation and in June 1915, it began to be used by casualty clearing stations of the Commonwealth forces.

From April to August 1918, the casualty clearing stations fell back before the German advance and field ambulances (including a French ambulance) took their places.

The cemetery contains 9,901 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 24 being unidentified. There are 883 war graves of other nationalities, mostly French and German, 11 of these are unidentified. There is 1 Non World War burial here.

The only concentration burials were 24 added to Plot XXXI in 1920 from isolated positions near Poperinghe and 17 added to Plot XXXII from St. Denijs Churchyard in 1981.

Eight of the headstones are Special Memorials to men known to be buried in this cemetery, these are located together alongside Plot 32 near the Stone of Remembrance.

The cemetery, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, is the second largest Commonwealth cemetery in Belgium. 

His Soldiers Pay of £7:4s:1d was sent on 29 July 1918 to his Widow Charlotte 

 

2 War Gratuities were also sent to her on 5 January 1920 of £5:6s:8d and £10:10s:4d.