Arthur Harry Snelling was born
around 1893 in Reigate, Surrey. He appears on the 1901 census as an eight year old boy living with his parents, brothers and sister at
South Street, Chailey. In 1901 the family comprised:
Arthur E Snelling (head of the family, a butcher, born in Battersea, aged 32), Minnie Snelling, (Arthur’s wife aged
34), William Snelling (son, aged 11), Richard Ernest Snelling (son, aged nine), Arthur (son, aged eight) and May Snelling
(daughter, aged 11 months). With the exception of May who was born in Chailey,
the three boys had been born in Reigate so it seems reasonable to assume that at some time after Arthur’s birth around
1892 and before May’s birth (probably in May 1900), the family had moved from Reigate to Chailey.
Arthur Snelling is noted in the
October 1914 issue of Chailey Parish Magazine as serving his King and Country. In
October 1915 he is reported as lance-corporal serving with the ASC in France; subsequently
promoted to corporal in November 1915 and sergeant in May 1916.
On December 22nd 1916, The East Sussex News reported, “Sgt A Snelling (ASC) and Pte R Snelling of the Royal Fusiliers, both sons of
Mr and Mrs A Snelling of Roeheath Common, are home on leave. Sgt Snelling has
been in France since the outbreak of war and his brother for two years.”
It then appears that Arthur Snelling
transferred out of the ASC to an infantry battalion because in January 1918, under the NCO section of Chailey Parish Magazine’s
roll of serving soldiers, the following appears: Snelling, Rif A, 21st KRR.
It was not to be a lucky move. In November 1918, Chailey Parish Magazine added another name to its roll: Corpl A Snelling, 21st KRR, died of wounds, Aug 25th 1918 in France.
The Commonwealth War Graves’
Commission’s Debt of Honour Register makes no mention of Arthur Snelling’s service with the Army Service Corps
and records the battalion with which he died as the 13th KRRC and not the 21st. Arthur’s
number is given as 13326. It is possible that Arthur transferred from the 21st
KRRC to the 13th although this fact still has to be substantiated.
The 21st King’s Royal Rifle
Corps was a New Army Battalion also known as The Yeoman Rifles. It was formed
in September 1915 from volunteers from the farming communities of Yorkshire, Northumberland and Durham and formed part of the 124th Brigade
in the 41st Division.
The 13th King’s Royal Rifle
Corps was also a New Army Battalion which at first was attached to the 21st Division but subsequently transferred to the 111th
Brigade in the 37th Division in April 1915.
