Acting Corporal Arthur Hanson
9427 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment)
23250 6th Battalion, Kings Own Lancashire Rifles
Arthur was born in 1883 in Keyworth, son of Isaac Hanson a pit banksman born in Huddersfield and his wife Mary (nee Disney) from Keyworth. Around 1890 to 1892 his parents moved to Westwood and in 1901 and also in 1911 they were living at Old Westwood (Palmerston Street), Westwood. Arthur was the eldest of 7 sons, Arthur b. 1883 Keyworth, Archibald Neville b. 1885 Long Eaton, John Henry b. 1888 Keyworth, Sidney Herbert b. 1890 Keyworth, George Ernest b. 1892 Westwood, Samuel Disney b. 1898 Westwood and Oswald b. 1901 Westwood. Five of the brothers served in WW1 and are listed on the Jacksdale War Memorial as having survived.
Arthur was a regular soldier, joining up on 18th June 1904, aged 20 years and 7 months. His height was given as 5’6″ and his occupation as ‘coal miner’.
Arthur married Mary Redgate in 1907 at St. Mary’s, Westwood and they had children Arthur Leslie, George, Albert, Eva Mary, John, Vera and Elsie. In 1911 his wife and children were living at Old Westwood, near Arthur’s parents. As the wife of a regular soldier, Mary was sent home a weekly allowance of 21s/6d (£1.07 1/2p), separation allowance plus a 5s/3d (26p) allotment from Arthur’s pay. In May 1915 Arthur was hospitalised until July 1915 due to a gunshot wound to his thigh, sustained whilst on active service in France. In 1916 he was serving in Egypt at which time his wife Mary wrote to the regiment enquiring of his well being. “Dear Sirs, If you can find any information of my husband who was transferred from the Notts. and Derbys. to the King’s Own Lancashire Regiment Pte. A. Hanson 23250. It is about three months since he left Plymouth, we have a picture postcard from Egypt about six weeks ago that he is ill but then no news from him. If you can give us any information please.” It was in this year that their little daughter Eva died of pneumonia, aged only 15 months. Fortunately Arthur was evidently still alive as he later went onto serve in Mesopotamia in 1917. His service record also indicates he saw service in India.
He was discharged from the K.O.R. Lancs. Regiment in 1920, aged 35, having served for 15 years and awarded the 1914 Star (+ Clasp & Roses he was an “Old Contemptible”), the British War and Victory Medals. In April 1920 Arthur wrote to the Army chasing a ‘bounty’ payment of £20 that had been due to him in 1917 after completion of 13 years service, which he had not yet received.
Arthur and his brothers Archibald, John, George and Samuel are all listed on the Jacksdale War Memorial as having served and survived.
There is a death recorded in the Basford District in 1950 for an Arthur Hanson, aged 66 years.
His father Isaac Hanson died in 1931, aged 74 and his mother Mary died in 1919, aged 60 years, both are buried at Westwood, St. Mary’s.