LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Private Arthur George Razzell
7 Bn London Regiment posted to 1st/19th Bn London Regiment
Town Memorial P6.R3.C2
 Tribute to 7 Bn |
 1/19 Bn |
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
Pte
Arthur G Razzell
19th London Regt [sic]
Albert
Aug 22 1918
The regimental records of London Regiment (1) give the following details
of Arthur Razzell:
He was born in Leatherhead but enlisted in Bexleyheath (Belvedere). His
regimental number was 353324 [sic] and he was 'killed in action' on 22
August 1918.
However, he was serving with the 7th Bn. City of London Regiment. [but
see above]
The War Diary reference for his Battalion in the Public Record Office is
W095–3005.
Notes on sources
1. Soldiers Who Died in the Great War (London Regiment), Royal Fusiliers
Museum, HM Tower of London.
Further research
Private
RAZZELL, ARTHUR
Service Number 353246
Died 22/08/1918
7th Bn. London Regiment
posted to 1st/19th Bn. London Regiment
Commemorated at VIS-EN-ARTOIS
MEMORIAL
Panel 10
Location: Pas de Calais, France
The Vis-en-Artois Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8 August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave. They belonged to the forces of Great Britain and Ireland and South Africa; the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand forces being commemorated on other memorials to the missing.
When he enlisted at Bexleyheath, Kent he gave 61 Bexley Road, Belvedere, Kent as his address. He joined the 7th Battalion, London Regiment, service number 6896 and then was posted to 1st/19th Battalion with the service number 353246. He was Killed in Action.
In 1915 a local newspaper published a letter from Arthur's brother William Lewin Razzell, serving with the RAMC:
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 30 October 1915
INTERESTING LETTER FROM THE
FRONT.
Mr. E. H. Burgess, headmaster of the Council School, has received the
following interesting letter from an old scholar, Pte. W. L. Razzell, of
the R.A.M.C. *'lt is a long time since I wrote you, but after the
glorious 26th of September, when our division proved the worth of the
Territorial Army, I feel sure you would like to have a few lines.
We were within practically
throwing distance of the most vile lot upon this earth that call
themselves men that it is possible find. The fact is, they are trained
to such a pitch that all human nature has left them and they are worse
than the heathen who has had no teaching whatever.
We were on the main road in a little village, which was shaken from stem
to stern by gun firing. Streams of stores and ammunition passed through
unceasingly day and night for weeks, and we were all up to fever heat
for the start. Planks of wood, old tram lines, posts of all sizes, tons
of barbed wire, and tons of rope were included, and it was more like
huge circus travelling the road. It was to be the heaviest bombardment
on record, but as there had been continued bombardment for a fortnight
it did not upset us.
“Just as day was breaking the first batch of wounded were brought into
our hospital, and we were soon full up. 'How are we going on top?' is
the question. 'Ripping', says one who has had to be led in, his head all
cotton wool and bandages. A peep into the operating room sees four
tables and half a dozen of the best doctors going for all they are
worth, and not a murmur from one of the patients the tables. One would
think they were in a London hospital instead in a disused brewery, the
walls of which have stood thousand shells.
Coming into the yard are fellows with heavy top boots. They are wounded
prisoners, and what sight they are, practically knocked to pieces. That
is the result of high explosive shell. They are nearly all like that or
killed outright. I was attending one of our wounded sergeants and asked
him how got laid out. His reply was 'I was giving a German officer a
drink, and when I went to catch my men up the dirty ---- shot me. I fell
back on him and held on to him until a fellow who saw it came my help.'
The German Army is now short of an officer of the 22nd Regiment. One
Scotsman said, ‘They had bother, and now they have got me, but I have
had a dozen this morning.'
“Later, civilians were brought
in, there being a large number in the village a little higher up. There
were kiddies of all ages and old men and women. May it please God spare
our happy land the ravages of war. These people were the other side of
the German lines and they would not let them leave one way or the other.
One of the men picked up what remained of a boy, who they say could not
have been more than five years old. After considering for a moment
turned to his officer, crying like a child, and said ‘Good God, sir!
what are we?' It makes one wonder sometimes out here, but I trust the
time is not far distant when those responsible for the carnage will
receive their just reward.
“Afterwards came the first batch of prisoners. An awful looking lot. All
sorts and. sizes, young and old; one quite a boy of fifteen. They are
all of the 22nd Regiment. Some of those in our yard have 'Prussian' in
their paybooks, so the 22nd is a Prussian regiment. They have for escort
the Life Guards. One Frenchman pulls out his revolver to shoot at the
prisoners, but his mates throw him on the ground and take the revolver
from him. A bit further down the road the young women and children start
throwing mud at them, but that, too, was soon stopped. No one can really
picture what modern warfare is like, but I would rather stay out here
for years than a son of mine should have know what it is like. In
conclusion, if there is a young man in my dear old village old enough to
protect his home, hunt him up, and tell him straight that if he does not
come out here he will not have the right to call Leatherhead his home or
England the country of his birth."
1/19 Bn London Regiment War Diary
Ref WO95/2738/1
August 1918
Instructions for Offensive with various Appendices issued by Bde during the previous week put into operation and Zero day and hour notified (22nd inst. 4.45AM) Operational Order No 202 issued to all concerned.
Battn H/Q moved to Battle H/Q at 3AM. Coys in assembly positions by 3.45AM during heavy enemy bombardment but without difficulties. Fine [unreadable]. Attack launched at 4.45AM in a heavy mist caused by the bombardment raising heavy clouds of dust and smoke.
Bn H/Q moved to K6b62 [map ref] at 9.30AM. After Objective reached (about 8AM) the 142nd Inf Bde passed through to take 2nd Objective. This they did but were unable to hold it & returned through our line at about 3pm owing to heavy shelling and counter attack.
At dusk our own line was forced to withdraw owing to heavy fire and fell back to a line 100 yards West of ALBERT-BRAY Road which line was consolidated and held.
After dark the line was reorganised and divided between 141 & 140 Inf Bdes two Battns of the latter being sent up to reinforce.
142 Inf Bde was withdrawn to reserve in the early hours. Fairly quiet day.
Dorking & Leatherhead Advertiser
28 September 1918
WAR CASUALTIES
It has been officially announced that Pte. Arthur Razzell, of the Royal
Fusiliers, fifth son of Mrs. Razzell, St. John's-road, Leatherhead, was
killed in action on August 22nd. Pte Razzell, who was 40 years of age,
leaves a wife and two children, who reside at Belvedere. He had been in
the Army about 2 1/2 years, and had been in France eighteen months.
Leatherhead Parish Magazine
October 1918
FOR KING AND COUNTRY.
The following have given their lives for the cause
...
Pte. Arthur Razzell, Royal Fusiliers, Aug. 22nd, 1918
Earlier issues recorded that WL Razzell was serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps at the Front. Arthur's brother Wlliam Lewin Razzell survived the war, dying in 1964.