Arthur Hedley Tucker

Private Arthur Hedley Tucker – South Wales Borderers, 1^st Battalion

Another soldier buried at Oystermouth Cemetery who is commemorated on his family headstone rather than a military headstone is Private Arthur Hedley Tucker.

Early Life and Family Background

Arthur Hedley Tucker was born in 1895 at Oystermouth, the eldest son of David Thomas Tucker and Martha Evans.

1901 Census

According to the 1901 Census, the Tucker family were living at 3 Castleton Terrace, Oystermouth. David, aged 35, was an Oystermouth-born letterpress printer, while Martha, aged 37, was born in Staffordshire. Their children were Arthur (6), Walter (5) — both attending school — Sidney (3), and Frederick (1).

1911 Census

By the time of the 1911 Census, the family had moved to 6 Newton Road, Oystermouth. David, aged 45, was still working as a printer, and Martha, aged 47, was managing the household. Their children were Arthur (16), who had joined his father’s trade as a printer; Walter (15), a reporter; Sidney (13); Fred (11), who attended school; Reginald (8); and Edwin (6).

Military Service – Welsh Regiment and South Wales Borderers

When war broke out, Arthur Hedley Tucker enlisted as a Private in the Welsh Regiment, before later transferring to the South Wales Borderers, 1^st Battalion. The 1^st Battalion, one of the regiment’s regular army units, had seen heavy fighting on the Western Front since 1914, taking part in battles such as Ypres, Loos, and the Somme.

By 1918, the battalion was engaged in the Allied counter-offensives that followed the German Spring Offensive. Soldiers who were wounded in France were often brought back to the United Kingdom for treatment at military hospitals, where many succumbed to their injuries despite advances in medical care.

Death and Leicestershire War Hospital

Private Arthur Hedley Tucker died of wounds on 12^th July 1918 at Leicestershire War Hospital, aged 23.

The Leicestershire War Hospital was established in 1914 at the former Leicester and Rutland County Asylum in Narborough, Leicestershire. The building was requisitioned by the War Office and converted to care for soldiers suffering from severe battlefield wounds, gas exposure, and shell shock. At its peak, the hospital had over 1,000 beds and was staffed by Royal Army Medical Corps personnel, supported by Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) and local Red Cross nurses.

The hospital also served as a specialist rehabilitation centre, with workshops and occupational therapy units helping recovering soldiers regain strength and learn new trades. Between 1915 and 1919, it treated thousands of men from across Britain and the Empire, many of whom had been evacuated from the Western Front.

Arthur was among those who did not recover from their injuries.

Burial and Legacy

Tucker family grave
Oystermouth Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Arthur’s body was brought home to Swansea, where he was buried at Oystermouth Cemetery. His name is inscribed on the family headstone, rather than marked by a standard military headstone — a private act of remembrance chosen by his family.

Private Arthur Hedley Tucker’s life and service represent the contribution of local tradesmen and their families to the First World War. From a small printing business in Oystermouth to the battlefields of Europe, his story echoes the experiences of countless young men who left their communities to serve and never returned.

His name, preserved on his family’s memorial, stands among those of other Swansea men buried at Oystermouth Cemetery, ensuring that his sacrifice — and that of his generation — is not forgotten.