Of Tragedy and Valor
Arthur Rumbelow (UK)

Arthur Rumbelow was born in 1897, son of Walter and Alice Kate RUMBELOW (née FLATT) of West Row.

The 1901 census shows him at Youngman's Lane, West Row with his father Walter RUMBELOW, a farm labourer. His mother Alice; brother Thomas, grandfather, widower, John FLATT  farm labourer and his uncle Edward A FLATT farm labourer. All were recorded as born in Mildenhall.

At the 1911 census Arthur was 13, a farm labourer, he was in West Row with his parents, brothers Malan Victor and Walter; sister Alice May; grandfather John FLATT and uncle Edward Arthur FLATT. The new siblings were born in Mildenhall, borther Thomas had died in 1907. 

Arthur enlisted in West Row on 8th September 1914 giving his age as 19 yrs 2 months, weighed 115 lbs (52.2 kg), 5 feet 5 inches (165.1 cm) tall, chest 33" to 35.5" (83.8 to 90.2 cm). Described as brown eyes, dark hair and Baptist by religion. 

He joined the 9th Suffolks at Shoreham on 17th September 1914.

He served with the BEF in France from 31st August 1915 until 18th May 1916. In early 1916 he was in hospital in Etaples with pleurisy, but returned to his unit at the end of April. He received a penetrating shrapnel wound to his right thigh in May 1916 and was hospitalised from 18th May to 19th June 1916. The battalion were near Sint Jan, in trenches at Forward Cottage near the junction of the N37 and A19 NNE of Ypres.

On 25th May 1916 he was diagnosed with TB . He was discharged on 18th July 1916 as no longer being physically fit for war service (Phthisis). He was 21 years old, stood 5 feet 8 inches (172.7 cm)tall, chest 33" to 35.5" ((83.8 to 90.2 cm). He gave his intended address as Pot Hall, West Row. His Army pension in 1917 rose to 27/6 per week (£1.37) 

He died in a sanitorium in Brighton and been brought home for burial.

WEST ROW MILITARY FUNERAL

The Bury Free Press
21st December 1918

On Saturday the remains of Pte. Arthur Rumbelow, of the 9th Suffolk Regt., son of Mr.and Mrs.Rumbelow of Hillside House, West Row, Mildenhall, were interred in the Baptist Chapel burial ground there with military honours, the firing party being from soldiers attending a local signalling school.

The deceased, who was only 21 years of age, enlisted with many others from the village, in Kitchener's Army in September 1914, and died on the 7th December at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, from the effects of poison gas, to which he fell a victim whilst engaged on signalling duty with his regiment in France.