Thomas Arthur was from Devon. However, he spent the last twenty years of his life at Cadley, where he died in March 1902. He is buried in the churchyard of the former church of Christchurch. He is the only recorded recipient of the Victoria Cross in the Bedwyn area.
He was born at Abbotsham in Devon, and the census of 1841 reveals that Thomas lived with his mother Jane, and his two sisters, Kitty and Fanny. His date of birth is not recorded, but it is believed to be 1836. The next census, completed in 1851, reveals that Thomas was a farm labourer at Parkway, Bideford. However, he was not destined for a life as a Devon agricultural worker. In March 1853, he enlisted in the army at Devonport. According to his attestation record, he was 18 years old. This record also provides the only description available of Thomas as a young man:
"5ft 6 inches tall; fresh complexion; hazel eyes; brown hair; no scars or other distinctive marks"
The Crimean War
Six months after his enlistment, Russia and the Ottoman Empire went to war. Fearing that initial Russian success would lead to domination of the Black Sea, and give Russian Navy access to the Mediterranean, France and Britain, the most unusual examples of allies, joined the war in 1854. An Anglo-French expeditionary force landed in the Crimean peninsula. Most of the fighting revolved around attempts to capture the Russian fortress of Sebastopol, which was finally achieved in 1856. The fall of Sebastopol led to the end of the war in March, with the Treaty of Paris.
In November 1854, a 19 year old Gunner Arthur, part of No.1 Company, 5th Battalion, Royal Artillery, departed Woolwich en route for the Crimea. On December 1, the battalion embarked at Liverpool in the Cunard steamship SS Niagra, a requisitioned transport ship.
He was born at Abbotsham in Devon, and the census of 1841 reveals that Thomas lived with his mother Jane, and his two sisters, Kitty and Fanny. His date of birth is not recorded, but it is believed to be 1836. The next census, completed in 1851, reveals that Thomas was a farm labourer at Parkway, Bideford. However, he was not destined for a life as a Devon agricultural worker. In March 1853, he enlisted in the army at Devonport. According to his attestation record, he was 18 years old. This record also provides the only description available of Thomas as a young man:
"5ft 6 inches tall; fresh complexion; hazel eyes; brown hair; no scars or other distinctive marks"
The Crimean War
Six months after his enlistment, Russia and the Ottoman Empire went to war. Fearing that initial Russian success would lead to domination of the Black Sea, and give Russian Navy access to the Mediterranean, France and Britain, the most unusual examples of allies, joined the war in 1854. An Anglo-French expeditionary force landed in the Crimean peninsula. Most of the fighting revolved around attempts to capture the Russian fortress of Sebastopol, which was finally achieved in 1856. The fall of Sebastopol led to the end of the war in March, with the Treaty of Paris.
In November 1854, a 19 year old Gunner Arthur, part of No.1 Company, 5th Battalion, Royal Artillery, departed Woolwich en route for the Crimea. On December 1, the battalion embarked at Liverpool in the Cunard steamship SS Niagra, a requisitioned transport ship.
The Crimean campaign was notorious for poor medical conditions, and soldiers were exposed to scurvy, dysentry, starvation, and exposure. Thomas Arthur was one of the sick who fortunately recovered after two periods of recuperation at Balaklave; many did not. He returned to his battery in the trenches surrounding Sebastapol. No. 1 battery manned static guns, almost similar in appearance to naval guns used at Trafalgar in 1805.
In early June, the British and French launched a series of assaults preceded by long artillery barrages. On June 7th, No. 1 battery was involved in action near the Quarries, a position held by the Russians. This feature lay in front of the Redan, a Russian held fortification, which was the ultimate objective of the British. Thomas Arthur was responsible for the battery ammunition magazine, but when he learned that the assaulting infantry, the 7th Fusiliers, were running short of small arms ammunition, he repeatedly crossed open ground under fire to help them. His actions were described by Sergeant Timothy Gowing of the 7th Fusiliers in his book, Voice from the Ranks:
"I had the honour of taking a man’s name that evening for a most daring act; bringing up a barrel of ammunition on his head across the open field under tremendous fire, throwing it at our feet, exclaiming ‘here you are, my lads, fire away!’ I had the pleasure of meeting him afterwards in India, with the Cross upon his noble breast – Gunner Arthur"
The 7th Fusiliers and the Connaught Rangers succeeded in capturing the Quarries, but at tremendous cost; they were reduced to about half their strength. The following night, the Russians attempted to recover the Quarries, but without success. The follow-up assault on the Redan was made on June 18th. However, the Russians successfully repulsed every British assault, inflicting large casualties. For a second time, Thomas Arthur intervened in the progress of the battle, by volunteering to form a Spiking party. It is not certain whether he succeeded in disabling any of the Russian guns, but he dashed through the smoke beyond the infantry lines, and later returned slightly wounded.
The Victoria Cross
For acts of bravery performed before the Quarries and the Redan, Thomas Arthur was awarded the Victoria Cross. In addition it was noted that on several occasions, he left the protection of the trenches to rescue wounded soldiers. The official citation for the award of the Victorai Cross was published in the London Gazette on 24 June 1857 :
“When in charge of the magazine in one of the left advance Batteries of the Right Attack on 7th June 1855 when the Quarries were taken he, on his own account, carried barrels of Infantry ammunition for the 7th Fusiliers several times during the evening across the open. Volunteered for, and formed one of the Spiking parties of Artillery at the assault on the Redan on the 18th June 1855”
The Victoria Cross is the highest award of valour in Great Britain. Queen Victoria issued a warrant for the medal on Janaury 29 1956, some 6 months after Thomas Arthur's acts of heroism. Consequently, for him and over 100 other recipients, the warrant was backdated to 1854.
Thomas Arthur returned to England in March 1856. He apparently was stationed in Liverpool in September, when some of his pay was deducted for absence without leave. Following the publication of his citation in the London Gazette, he was again absent; doubtlessly celebrating news of the award. However, Victoria Cross holder or not, he appeared before a Regimental Court Martial, and was sentenced to 28 days at Weedon Military prison in Northamptonshire. He was released just nine days before he was due to be presented with the Victoria Cross.
He travelled to Woolwich. On June 25th, he was required at Portman Street Barracks to prepare for the award ceremony the following day. From there he marched among the Other Ranks recipients under Lieutenant Knox of the 2nd Battalion, the Rifle Brigade to Hyde Park. Each man wore a loop of red or blue cord attached to the left breast of the tunic, where Queen Victoria would fasten the Victoria Cross medal. Thomas Arthur's cord was blue; the back of his Victoria Cross is engraved with the words "Gunner and Driver Thomas Arthur RYL Artly". He was the fifth soldier in the Royal Artillery to be decorated, and the 23rd man out of a total of 62 servicemen on parade. This day, June 26th 1857, was the very first investiture of the Victoria Cross.
England and Ireland
In November 1857, Thomas Arthur was posted to Weedon, where his Battery was converted to a Field Artillery unit, and in March 1858, he was promoted to Bombardier. By 1860, his unit had been merged with 8th Brigade, and he became Gunner Arthur.
On July 6 1859, he married Ann Goddard from Hornstead in Berkshire. Their wedding was at Aldershot. A few months later, the unit was sent to Devon, and consequently, his first two children, Jeanetta and Emily, were born in Plymouth. In 1863, his unit was sent to Ireland, where his third daughter, Mary Ann, was born at Ballincolig in county Cork. This small town had a gunpowder mill, and barracks were built during the Napoleonic wars to protect the mill. However, this period of comparative blissful ease end in July 1866, when he was granted 120 days leave on a daily pay of 1 shilling 3¼d a day. This was given to him prior to posting overseas to India with D Battery in 8th Brigade.
India
During his period of service in India, his wife gave birth to four more children, Britannia, Alice, Agnes, and Aileen. Britannia was named after her mother, for within the first two years in India, Ann Arthur had changed her christian name to Britannia. Apparently Thomas Arthur also changed the family surname, to McArthur.
There is some controversy over his surname. Most records indicate his name was Arthur, including the Census records of 1841, and his marriage certificate. It has been alleged that he changed his name because he ran away to join the army, but his attestation age suggests that was highly unlikely. The early origins of the McArthur name is probably a myth. However after India, census records all refer to a Thomas McArthur, and that is also the name on his grave.
Thomas Arthur had now served in the Royal Artillery for 21 years, thereby qualifying for a pension. On 19 May 1874, after service with garrisons at Lucknow, and elsewhere in Bengal, he retired from the Army. The family returned to England and settled in Bideford. In 1876 another daughter was born, Sophia. There was to be another child, Nelly; all girls and no boys. She was born in Bristol; evidently Bideford was not to be a permanent home for Thomas McArthur.
Cadley
Thomas Arthur moved to Cadley probably because of his wife. Although she had been born in Hornstead, she was christened in Great Bedwyn, and may have been brought up there. He spent the remaining twenty years of his life in the village. According to the Census records of 1881, he was a Chelsea pensioner and general labourer. The family had two addresses, one at 7 Cadley Square, the other 29 Salisbury road.
Thomas McArthur died on 2 March 1902 and was buried in the churchyard at Christchurch, Cadley. Although the church has sadly passed into private hands, the churchyard survives, and it is still possible to visit his grave. His Victoria Cross medal was sold for £47. It now belongs to the Royal Artillery Regiment Museum at Woolwich in London. His widow died in February 1915 in Cadley at the age of 82. One wonders what she made of the madness of the ongoing war.
In early June, the British and French launched a series of assaults preceded by long artillery barrages. On June 7th, No. 1 battery was involved in action near the Quarries, a position held by the Russians. This feature lay in front of the Redan, a Russian held fortification, which was the ultimate objective of the British. Thomas Arthur was responsible for the battery ammunition magazine, but when he learned that the assaulting infantry, the 7th Fusiliers, were running short of small arms ammunition, he repeatedly crossed open ground under fire to help them. His actions were described by Sergeant Timothy Gowing of the 7th Fusiliers in his book, Voice from the Ranks:
"I had the honour of taking a man’s name that evening for a most daring act; bringing up a barrel of ammunition on his head across the open field under tremendous fire, throwing it at our feet, exclaiming ‘here you are, my lads, fire away!’ I had the pleasure of meeting him afterwards in India, with the Cross upon his noble breast – Gunner Arthur"
The 7th Fusiliers and the Connaught Rangers succeeded in capturing the Quarries, but at tremendous cost; they were reduced to about half their strength. The following night, the Russians attempted to recover the Quarries, but without success. The follow-up assault on the Redan was made on June 18th. However, the Russians successfully repulsed every British assault, inflicting large casualties. For a second time, Thomas Arthur intervened in the progress of the battle, by volunteering to form a Spiking party. It is not certain whether he succeeded in disabling any of the Russian guns, but he dashed through the smoke beyond the infantry lines, and later returned slightly wounded.
The Victoria Cross
For acts of bravery performed before the Quarries and the Redan, Thomas Arthur was awarded the Victoria Cross. In addition it was noted that on several occasions, he left the protection of the trenches to rescue wounded soldiers. The official citation for the award of the Victorai Cross was published in the London Gazette on 24 June 1857 :
“When in charge of the magazine in one of the left advance Batteries of the Right Attack on 7th June 1855 when the Quarries were taken he, on his own account, carried barrels of Infantry ammunition for the 7th Fusiliers several times during the evening across the open. Volunteered for, and formed one of the Spiking parties of Artillery at the assault on the Redan on the 18th June 1855”
The Victoria Cross is the highest award of valour in Great Britain. Queen Victoria issued a warrant for the medal on Janaury 29 1956, some 6 months after Thomas Arthur's acts of heroism. Consequently, for him and over 100 other recipients, the warrant was backdated to 1854.
Thomas Arthur returned to England in March 1856. He apparently was stationed in Liverpool in September, when some of his pay was deducted for absence without leave. Following the publication of his citation in the London Gazette, he was again absent; doubtlessly celebrating news of the award. However, Victoria Cross holder or not, he appeared before a Regimental Court Martial, and was sentenced to 28 days at Weedon Military prison in Northamptonshire. He was released just nine days before he was due to be presented with the Victoria Cross.
He travelled to Woolwich. On June 25th, he was required at Portman Street Barracks to prepare for the award ceremony the following day. From there he marched among the Other Ranks recipients under Lieutenant Knox of the 2nd Battalion, the Rifle Brigade to Hyde Park. Each man wore a loop of red or blue cord attached to the left breast of the tunic, where Queen Victoria would fasten the Victoria Cross medal. Thomas Arthur's cord was blue; the back of his Victoria Cross is engraved with the words "Gunner and Driver Thomas Arthur RYL Artly". He was the fifth soldier in the Royal Artillery to be decorated, and the 23rd man out of a total of 62 servicemen on parade. This day, June 26th 1857, was the very first investiture of the Victoria Cross.
England and Ireland
In November 1857, Thomas Arthur was posted to Weedon, where his Battery was converted to a Field Artillery unit, and in March 1858, he was promoted to Bombardier. By 1860, his unit had been merged with 8th Brigade, and he became Gunner Arthur.
On July 6 1859, he married Ann Goddard from Hornstead in Berkshire. Their wedding was at Aldershot. A few months later, the unit was sent to Devon, and consequently, his first two children, Jeanetta and Emily, were born in Plymouth. In 1863, his unit was sent to Ireland, where his third daughter, Mary Ann, was born at Ballincolig in county Cork. This small town had a gunpowder mill, and barracks were built during the Napoleonic wars to protect the mill. However, this period of comparative blissful ease end in July 1866, when he was granted 120 days leave on a daily pay of 1 shilling 3¼d a day. This was given to him prior to posting overseas to India with D Battery in 8th Brigade.
India
During his period of service in India, his wife gave birth to four more children, Britannia, Alice, Agnes, and Aileen. Britannia was named after her mother, for within the first two years in India, Ann Arthur had changed her christian name to Britannia. Apparently Thomas Arthur also changed the family surname, to McArthur.
There is some controversy over his surname. Most records indicate his name was Arthur, including the Census records of 1841, and his marriage certificate. It has been alleged that he changed his name because he ran away to join the army, but his attestation age suggests that was highly unlikely. The early origins of the McArthur name is probably a myth. However after India, census records all refer to a Thomas McArthur, and that is also the name on his grave.
Thomas Arthur had now served in the Royal Artillery for 21 years, thereby qualifying for a pension. On 19 May 1874, after service with garrisons at Lucknow, and elsewhere in Bengal, he retired from the Army. The family returned to England and settled in Bideford. In 1876 another daughter was born, Sophia. There was to be another child, Nelly; all girls and no boys. She was born in Bristol; evidently Bideford was not to be a permanent home for Thomas McArthur.
Cadley
Thomas Arthur moved to Cadley probably because of his wife. Although she had been born in Hornstead, she was christened in Great Bedwyn, and may have been brought up there. He spent the remaining twenty years of his life in the village. According to the Census records of 1881, he was a Chelsea pensioner and general labourer. The family had two addresses, one at 7 Cadley Square, the other 29 Salisbury road.
Thomas McArthur died on 2 March 1902 and was buried in the churchyard at Christchurch, Cadley. Although the church has sadly passed into private hands, the churchyard survives, and it is still possible to visit his grave. His Victoria Cross medal was sold for £47. It now belongs to the Royal Artillery Regiment Museum at Woolwich in London. His widow died in February 1915 in Cadley at the age of 82. One wonders what she made of the madness of the ongoing war.
Sources
There are several online articles : The Stickler Family Memorials to Valour ( with photograph ) Wlltshire VC |