John William Arnold

John William Arnold was born in Swansea in 1892, the son of John William Arnold and Mary Elizabeth Page, who had married in Swansea in 1879.

1901 Census

At the time of the 1901 Census, the Arnold family was living at 1 Sebastopol Street, St Thomas, Swansea. John’s father, John William Arnold, aged 42, was employed as a ship boiler scaler, while his mother, Mary Elizabeth, was aged 39.

The couple had a large family. Their children recorded at home were Mary S., aged 20; Roy D., 19; Thomas J., 18; Archibald C., 16; Stanley, 11; William H., 10; John W., nine; Arthur P., five; George B., four; and Kenneth L., aged two. Several of the older sons followed their father into employment as ship boiler scalers.

1911 Census

By the time of the 1911 Census, the family had moved to 170 Port Tennant Road, Swansea. John senior, now aged 52, was still employed as a ship boiler scaler, while his wife, Mary Elizabeth, was 49.

Their children remaining at home included Mary Sophia, aged 30; William, 19, who worked as a ship boiler cleaner; and John William, who was employed as a clerk. The younger children were Arthur, aged 14; George, 12; Kenneth, 11; Corenita, nine; and Lilian, seven, several of whom were still attending school.

John William Arnold
Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial,
West Flanders, Belgium
credit - findagrave

During the First World War, John William entered military service and served as a Private with the 14th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, popularly known as the Swansea Battalion.

John was killed in action on 26 August 1916, aged about 24. He has no known grave, and his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West Flanders, Belgium, alongside thousands of other servicemen who died in the Ypres Salient and whose graves are unknown.

Tragically, John was not the only son of the family to lose his life during the war. His younger brother, George Arnold, also served in the British Army, attaining the rank of Corporal with the 8th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

George Arnold
Kirkee New Cemetery, India
credit - cwgc

George died on 19 July 1918, aged about 20, and was buried at Kirkee New Cemetery, India.

The war had therefore claimed two sons of John William and Mary Elizabeth Arnold. John was killed in Belgium in August 1916, while George died in India less than two years later.

Although the two brothers lie far from their Swansea home, their family ensured that they would also be remembered together. Both John William and George Arnold are commemorated on their parents’ headstone at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea, providing a permanent family memorial to two sons who left home to serve during the First World War and never returned.