235397 Private Arthur Weaving was a patient at Beechland House in 1918. His
entry in Nurse Oliver’s album reads:
235397 Pte A Weaving
3rd Worcesters
Wounded & Gassed Sept 26 1917
& April 14th 1918.
His name appears on a page shared with three other men: Private Joseph Henry Richards of the 11th East Yorkshire Regiment, 8451 Private Joseph Spruce of the 8th North Staffordshire Regiment and Private Joseph R Fish, an American serviceman from the 86th Aero Squadron. At the top of
the page there is a date: 20th June 1918.
His medal index card at The National Archives in London records him as Sidney Arthur Weaving although his entry in
the civil registration index of England and Wales 1837-1983 records him as Arthur Sydney Weaving, as does the 1901 census.
He was born at Gloucester in early 1896 or late 1895, his birth registered at Gloucester district in the March quarter
of 1896. He appears on the 1901 census living at 3 [unclear] Cottages, Mill Street,
Gloucester. The household comprised Charles Weaving (head, married, aged 38,
a bricklayer’s labourer), his wife Minnie Jane Weaving (aged 32) and their four children: Rose Emily Weaving (aged seven),
Arthur Sydney (aged five), George Henry (aged three) and Frederick Charles (aged one).
The family probably lived in Stroud before moving to Gloucester. Charles,
Minnie and their eldest child, Rose, were all born in Stroud. Arthur and his
two younger brothers were all born in Gloucester. It seems likely therefore that
the family probably moved to Gloucester between 1894 and 1896.
Arthur was almost certainly a pre-war territorial. His medal index card
lists his Gloucestershire Regiment number as 1729 and later, in early 1917 when the Territorial Force was re-numbered, 240182. This number falls within the block of numbers issued to the 1/5th Gloucestershire
Regiment; Gloucester territorials who originally formed part of the South Midland Brigade in the South Midland Division. The battalion landed at Boulogne on 29th March 1915 and six weeks later became part
of the 145th Brigade in the 48th Division. Arthur would have been part of the
original contingent as his medal index card gives 29th March 1915 as the date of his arrival in France.
The 48th Division was involved in the attack on Polygon Wood on 26th November 1917 and I am assuming from what he
says in Nurse Oliver’s album that Arthur was wounded and gassed with the Gloucesters and then, after recuperation transferred
to the Worcestershire Regiment. The regimental number he gives here – 235397
– fell within the block of numbers allocated to the 7th Worcestershire Regiment, another territorial battalion which
formed part of the 144th Brigade in the same 48th Division.
The division was transferred to the Italian Front in November 1917 and it is possible that he was wounded and gassed
for the second time whilst serving there. By the time he and Nurse Oliver met,
he had been posted again, this time to the 3rd (Reserve) Worcestershire Regiment and I am therefore assuming that he returned
to England, was posted to the Worcestershire Regiment Depot and was then sent on convalescence to Beechland House.
Arthur Weaving was entitled to the 1915 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.
No award of a silver war badge is mentioned and it is possible that after recuperation he was posted back to a line
regiment. He appears however, to have survived the war.
Further Research
· Civil Registration Index of England and Wales
1837-1983
· 1901 Census of England and Wales
· The National Archives – Medal Index Card
· Your Country Needs You by Martin Middlebrook
(Pen and Sword Books, 2000)
· The Long, Long Trail website
