Royal Field Artillery
Arthur Dudley Saunders was born in 1876 in Sutton St Nicholas, Herefordshire. He was the son of the Reverend David Arthur Fosbroke Saunders (1843-1914) and Mary Anne Saunders (formerly Morris) (1844-1919).
The family moved to the Rectory, Hewelsfield in 1902 when Rev Saunders was installed as Rector of the parish, the living of which he held until he retired in 1912. After retirement the family moved to Brooklands, Hewelsfield.
Arthur was one of six children, three sons and three daughters. All lived in the family household, none married, and none were employed in the traditional sense, living on their parents and, later, their own means.
Arthur and his brother Theodore Fosbroke were executors of their father’s estate and the probate record describes them as ‘Gentlemen’.
He inherited shares in Great Western Railways from his father. His siblings lived out the rest of their lives, mostly all together, at Brooklands, an apparently very quiet and close knit family.
Arthur served as Gunner 198888 in the Royal Field Artillery later being transferred, as Private 501362, to 440th Agricultural Company, Labour Corps, all Home Service.
The record of the distribution of his effects amongst his siblings gives his Labour Corps service number as 601362.
Transfers to Agricultural Companies of the Labour Corps normally consisted of men who were no longer considered fit for front line service but who were still fit enough to assist with food production in the UK, particularly harvesting.
Arthur died at the Military Hospital, Chepstow on 20 March 1919 aged 45 years and he was buried at Hewelsfield (St Mary Magdalene) Churchyard. His grave is marked by a stone cross atop an inscribed plinth.
The cause of his death is unknown but one can imagine he would have found the rigours of Army life very trying after his upbringing and the life style to which he was accustomed.
Researched by Eric Nicholls 27 December 2019