LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI

Private Arthur Tompkins
7 Bn Border Regiment

Town Memorial P8.R2.C3

TNG Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS

Pte
Arthur Tomkins
7th Border Regt
Monchy
Apr 23 1917

Arthur Tompkins had come to the Border Regiment via the East Surreys in which his regimental number had been 3292. According to the records he had been born in Brookham, Surrey. Was this really Bookham? He had enlisted at Wimbledon (Leatherhead) and his current regimental number with the Border Regiment was 28363. His membership of the 7th Bn. and death in action on 23rd April are confirmed. (1)

The War Diary tells roughly what happened and what went wrong (2):

The Border Regiment was flanked by the Lincolns and the Sherwood Foresters. Their preliminary objective was 'T' trench.

'A' and 'D' Companies set out first, with 'B' and 'C' Companies 100 yards behind.

'D' Company lost direction and the machine-gun fire was intense. What remained of 'D' Company however managed to get into a German strong point.

However, the survivors of all Companies had to eventually fall back, one subaltern bringing in a party of 50 wounded and unwounded men. Others crept into shell holes and managed to eventually get back to their own lines.

Casualties had been heavy and were:

Killed: Officers 2; Other Ranks 11 + 2 died of wounds (13)
Wounded: Officers 3; Other Ranks 187
Missing: Officers 10 (nearly all 2nd Lts); Other Ranks 204
Total: Officers 15; Other Ranks 404

It seems to have been a typically awful day on the Western Front.
In all, 419 officers and men, about half the battalion's strength, had become casualties, including Arthur Tompkins.

Notes on the sources
1. Soldiers Who Died in the Great War (Border Regiment) - Imperial War Museum, Lambeth.
2. File W095–2008 War Diary of the 7th Bn. The Border Regiment - Public Record Office, Richmond, Kew.

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Further research

Private
TOMPKINS, ARTHUR
Service Number 28363
Died 23/04/1917
7th Bn. Border Regiment
Commemorated at ARRAS MEMORIAL
Location: Pas de Calais, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: Bay 6.

He has no known grave.

It appears that Arthur and his brother Henry were mentioned as serving in the Forces in the Parish Magazine, but Arthur's death was not listed:

January & March 1916 Parish Magazine:

In the Territorial Battalions, or New Army.
Tompkins, A.,  5th East Surrey (T)

In the Fleet and at the Front.
Tompkins, H., Cpl., Somerset Lt. Inf.

His life

Arthur Tompkins was born in 1897, Great Bookham, Surrey.

His father was Charles Eli Tompkins, who was a widower when he married Elizabeth Rose. He was baptised on 23 May 1858 at Great Rollright, Oxfordshire, a son of Ephraim - a Shepherd - and Emma Day both of Great Rollright. For much of his life Charles was a Builder's Labourer.

His mother was Elizabeth Rose, a Spinster of Great Tew, Oxfordshire, her birth Registered in Q2 1863 in Chipping Norton District, Oxfordshire. She was a daughter of Joseph Rose, a Labourer and a Widower and Rebecca Smith, a Spinster, both of Great Tew. 

Their Banns were called 13-27 November 1887 at Great Rollright, Oxfordshire and their marriage was Registered in Q3 1887 in Chipping Norton District.

Arthur's siblings were Annie C b 1882 of Charles' first marriage?; Ruth b 1888, Henry b 1891, Nellie b 1894, Charles Ephraim b 1901, Naomi Rose b 1904, Grace b 1908 of Charles' second marriage.

 Arthur lived at:

1901 Census: Cropley's Yard, North Street
1911 Census: North Street, Leatherhead, Surrey
1914 father in Electoral Register: North Street

As if his father did not have enough to deal with, losing a son, and possibly his wife (see below) he was up before the Bench:

Surrey Advertiser
Saturday 21 July 1917

LEATHERHEAD.
Charles Tompkins, Fairfield Alley, Leatherhead, was fined 10s. at Epsom on Monday for keeping a dog without a license.

After the war

According to the Electoral Registers Arthur's father Charles Eli lived on in North Street  but from the end of WW1 lived at Frys Cottages, near High Street, Leatherhead.

Charles' death was registered in Surrey Mid Eastern District in June 1934

Arthur's mother's death has proved harder to establish. She was not listed with Charles in the 1918-20 Electoral Registers or thereafter.

It is noted that the death of an Elizabeth Tompkins was registered at Epsom in Q3 1914.

Arthur Tompkins is also remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish Church
Surrey in the Great War

the website editor would like to add further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family

last updated 11 Aug 20: 22 Dec 20