Current Information:

Age-25

109, Harringay Road, West Green

Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France

The exact circumstances of the death of Frank Arnold, who died from wounds on 4th August, 1917, after he had been taken back to a base hospital on the coast, are not known but artillery men faced many dangers and during the course of the war nearly 50,000 of them were killed. Their gun batteries were targeted by the enemy’s guns which accounted for many of their casualties. Others were sent forward to act as ‘spotters’ which meant going forward to the front line and signalling back to the guns necessary changes in target and other vital information. Keeping the batteries supplied with ammunition was a dangerous task as the enemy guns would target the known supply routes, especially at night. Brigade Diaries rarely shine any light on casualties sustained, unless of course they were officers and even then information is sparse. 

38 Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery went to France in September, 1914 as part of 6th Division and remained with this division until it became an Army Brigade, not attached to any particular division, in January, 1917.