Dutton | Arthur
Biography
Arthur Richardson Dutton (Service No. 6299264) died of wounds on 17 October 1944. He was a Signalman with the Royal Corps of Signals. He was initially buried at Cemetery De Kleffen and subsequently re-interred on 28 January 1946 in grave II. A. 3 at the Overloon Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Overloon. His inscription reads “Gone from us but not forgotten never shall thy memory fade. Mum and Dad.”
No photo of Arthur has yet been found. Should anyone reading this have a photo of him or further information regarding him – or if they are aware of any errors in his biography below can they please contact the Foundation?
Arthur was the son of Arthur Henry Dutton and Elizabeth Agnes Dutton (nee Algar) who had married in 1912 in the Bromley area of Kent. Arthur R Dutton was born in the same area on 27 January 1913 and seems to have been their only child.
In 1921 they were living at 9, Orchard Place, St Paul’s Cray, Kent. Arthur Henry Dutton was working as Depot Manager at Pattullo & Higgs & Co Ltd, Agricultural Produce Merchant. St Paul’s Cray is an area of Kent to the east of Bromley and north of Orpington.
On 14 January 1931, Arthur R Dutton travelled on board the Oropesa out of Liverpool. He was destined for Bermuda but the ship was eventually travelling to Valparaiso in Chile. His age was given as just 17 and his occupation was a plumber’s mate. His address was 9 Orchard Place, St Paul’s Clay, Kent. There were a number of other plumbers & tradesmen also on board. It is not known when he returned to the UK.
By September 1939, Arthur’s parents had moved to 48 Pier Avenue, Clacton-On-Sea, Essex. His father was now a manager for a corn merchant. This was a shop midway along the main shopping street of Clacton, named as Cramphorn Ltd. They were corn and seed merchants.
At this time, in September 1939, Arthur himself was living at the Blue Anchor, Saint Mary Cray, Orpington in the household of William F and Florence Wilkins and their son William Kenneth Wilkins (known as Ken). William (Snr) was a Licensed Victualler. Arthur was a plumber.
Military career
Arthur Richardson Dutton enlisted on 8 January 1942. He gave his address as 43 Chalk Pit Avenue, St. Paul’s Cray, Orpington, Kent. He stated that he was born on 27 January 1913 in St Mary’s Cray. He gave his mother, Mrs Elizabeth Dutton of 48 Pier Avenue, Clacton on Sea, Essex as his next of kin. He was described as 5ft 3¼ in tall and weighed 139 bs. He had blue eyes and brown hair. His trade was given as a plumber. He was declared A1 fit. His religion was given as Church of England.
He was posted as a private to the 10th Battalion of the Buffs (The Royal East Kent Regiment) and then to the 9th Battalion on 8 October 1942. Both these Battalions were raised during the war as home defence or training Battalions.
He suffered some form of injury which was described as “slight” on 6 March 1943 while on military duty, but the nature of the injury is not known. Just over a week later on 18 March he was transferred to the Royal Corps of Signals as a Signalman. He is thought to have passed exams as one grade of linesman on 5 July 1943 and a higher grade on 28 August 1943. The role of a Linesman was to lay cables, repair lines, and setup communication node.
He embarked for North West Europe on 20 June 1944, two weeks after D-Day.
The Royal Corps of Signals would be among the first into action in all operations, providing the essential battlefield communications and information systems. They will have been employed throughout the Normandy campaign and on through Belgium and into the Netherlands.
Arthur was first reported wounded on 17 October 1944 but died later the same day. Another member of the Royal Corps of Signals, Driver James Davidson, was also wounded and died the same day. It may be that both were killed in the same incident. At that time, the 3rd Division of the Army had succeeded in liberating Overloon and had pressed on towards Venray. On 16 October there were a substantial number of casualties as they faced the challenge of crossing the obstacle created by the Molenbeek, a stream which lay between the two villages which was about 10 feet wide with steep banks. Once this obstacle was overcome, they entered Venray on 17 October – but there were still casualties from mines and continued enemy presence. It would be in these circumstances that the two men were killed. They were both buried in the same cemetery initially and later transferred to Overloon where they are buried side by side.
The communication with Arthur’s parents after his death was considerably less than perfect and must have been distressing for them. His mother as his next of kin was first informed on 24 October that he had been wounded on 17 October. On 30 October, his father wrote the following letter to the Officer in Charge of Records at the Royal Signals:
“Dear Sir, On 24th October we received notice from you that Signalman A R Dutton 6299264 was wounded on the 17th Oct. Since when we have received no further news from him or through him or yourselves, can you give me any further news regarding him. And oblige. Yours faithfully, AH Dutton”
They were finally informed on 1 November that he had actually died of his wounds the same day – 17 October.
The Officer in Charge of Records demanded an explanation as to why it took 7 days for the news he had been wounded on 17 October to reach him when it took 14 days for him to be informed that he had died of his wounds that same day. He was told that the notification of death from wounds had been mis-directed and not received in the correct department until 29 October. The Officer in Charge of records was still not happy that it had then taken a further two days to reach him. However, he was told that wasn’t an unreasonable time to take to check te records and ensure that he had actually died of wounds.
Arthur had served for 2 years and 284 days of which 120 days were in North West Europe. He was awarded the 1939/45 Star, France & Germany Star and the War Medal 1939-45.
An inventory of his personal effects was made on 18 November 1944. These were sent to his mother on 21 March 1945. They included handkerchiefs, a vest, photos, three brushes, a safety razor, a diary, wallet, pen knife, compass, a fountain pen, a lighter, cigarette case, pipe, torch case, some keys and coins. Nearly a year later, on 13 March 1946, they also sent her a gold signet ring with the inscription “A.R.D.” This may have prompted her to write to the Records Office on 16 March 1946 asking if any war gratuity was owed to her in respect of her son. No reply is included in his Service Records.
Arthur was included in the “Roll of Honour” recorded in the Clacton local newspaper, the Gazette & Times, of 8 May 1945: “Signaller Arthur Richard Dutton of 48 Pier Avenue Clacton killed in action in North West Europe in October 1944.” His name is also included on the Clacton War Memorial. This memorial stands close to the cliff top among beautiful gardens in the central area of the seafront of the town.
In 1947, Arthur’s father was still shown at 48 Pier Avenue. In 1954 he was still there but listed as being at number 46 which was the flat above the shop. He died on 6 July 1956 at Clacton and District Hospital Clacton on Sea, Essex. His address at the time was 5 Cranston Court, Coppins Road, Clacton on Sea. It is thought that his wife Elizabeth died in 1968 in the same area.
Arthur’s Father’s Family
Arthur’s father, Arthur Henry Dutton, was the son of Joseph Dutton and Sarah Emily Beadle who had married in 1876 in the Bromley district of Kent. Joseph was born in 1855/6 in London and Sarah in 1858/9 in North Cray, Kent. Between 1877 and 1899 they had 9 children in total, all in the Orpington/Cray area, of whom Arthur Henry was the fourth, born in 1885. Two of them died in infancy. In 1891 Joseph and Sarah were living at Smiths Cottages, Kevingtown, St Mary Cray but in 1901 and 1911 they were at River Cottages, St Pauls Cray. Joseph and three of his children worked, at various times, at a local paper mill. By 1901 Joseph was a foreman at the mill. However, by 1911, Arthur (Snr) had switched employment and was an assistant in a corn mill.
It seems that Arthur (Snr) was initially exempted from serving in WW1 as he was now the manager of the seed and forage depot at Bexley Heath of Messrs Pattullo, Higgs & Co Ltd. which was seen as an important role for the war effort. However, in May 1917, this exemption was challenged along with those for Mr Pattullo and Mr Higgs themselves and the manager of a different area of the business. While Mr Pattullo and Mr Higgs continued to be exempt from war service, Arthur and the other man were not, though they were allowed not to report for 28 days. It isn’t certain where he served.
Arthur’s father, Joseph Dutton probably died in 1917 in the Bromley district. In 1921 Sarah was widowed and living on her own at 20 River Cottage. She was working as a school cleaner at St Paul’s Cray Council School. She probably died in 1931 in the Bromley area.
Arthur’s Mother’s Family
Arthur Richardson Dutton’s mother, Elizabeth Agnes Algar, was the daughter of Richard Algar and Louisa Algar (nee Tickner) who had married in 1882 in the Bromley district in Kent. Richard was born in 1857 in Star Cross, Devon and Louisa in 1860 in Orpington, Kent. They had 9 children in total between 1883 and 1899, all born in St Mary Cray. One died in infancy. Elizabeth was the 2nd eldest, born in 1884. From at least 1901 up to Louisa Algar’s death in 1944 the family were living at 36, Hearns Road, St Pauls Cray.
Richard was a Gas Stoker in 1901 and 1911, but by 1921 he was a Salesman for the South Suburban Gas Company. In 1901 Elizabeth and one of her brothers were working as paper makers or porters in a local paper mill. Elizabeth was still working at the paper mill in 1911, as was another sister.
In 1921 Elizabeth’s youngest brother, Sidney, was still at home with his parents, working as an Engineer Tool Grinder Improver (Out of Work) at Mr Vickers in Crayford. In the household too was their daughter, Louisa Smith, who had married Thomas Smith in 1906 in Chelsea. She was still shown as married but her husband was not present. With her were four of her children. Another was living with Louisa’s married sister.
Richard Algar is thought to have died in the Bromley area in 1937.
By 1939 Louisa Algar was widowed. Her son Sidney was still with her – but he had married in 1929 in the Bromley area and so his wife was also present. Sidney was a Valvesman and Pressure Attendant for the Gas Company and Emily was a Shop Assistant. Her now widowed daughter, Louisa Smith was next door at 37 Hearns Road with four of her younger children.
It is interesting that Arthur Richardson Dutton was a plumber by trade. His Uncle Sidney was in a related trade in 1939. At that same time, another uncle was described as an H & C Water Fitter, Painter & Decorator and a cousin, Leonard Smith, was also working as a plumber. .
There were also continued links with the paper manufacturing industry. Three husbands or wives of Elizabeth’s siblings were working in various capacities for W. Nash Ltd. Paper Manufacturers in 1921 and 1939. One husband was working for them as a fitter and another as a carpenter, while one of the wives was working as a paper porter.
Arthur was not the only one of his family to die in WW2. A cousin, William Henry Algar, son of Henry and Lily Eliza Algar, was killed on 24 February 1945 in Germany. He was a Lieutenant in 1 Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery (Service No. 292511). He is buried in grave 48. B. 11. in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Other cousins also served in WW2, including Cyril Leonard Peacock and Leonard Smith.
Louisa Algar died at 36 Hearns Road in 11 October 1944, less than a week before her grandson died in the Netherlands. Louisa’s death was announced in the Orpington Times of 20 Oct 1944 as follows:
“Mrs Algar – Mrs Louisa Algar, who died at her home, 36 Hearns Road St Paul’s Cray on October 11 aged 85 was born in St Mary Cray and lived in the Crays all her life. The funeral was on Saturday the service at St Mary Cray Parish Church and the interment at St Mary Cray Cemetery.”
Many of her family were among the mourners and those who left flowers. The mourners were:
Mr & Mrs H Algar (son and daughter in law); Mrs A Dutton (daughter); Mr & Mrs T Lee (son in law and daughter);
Mrs Smith (daughter); Mr S Algar (son) ; Mr E Peacock (son in law).
Flowers were sent by: Mr & Mrs A Dutton and Arthur; Mr & Mrs T Lee; Mrs Smith and family; Mr & Mrs S Algar;
Mr Peacock and family; Mr & Mrs A Young and family; Florence and Hugh (Canada); Mr & Mrs Wilkins with Ken; Mr & Mrs Dawse; From all at Cherry Orchard; Mr & Mrs Corke; Mr & Mrs Mitchell; Mrs Wood and family.
