Arthur Bonfield

WWI Roll of Honour

by Lynette Wray

Arthur Bonfield

Military History:        

Regiment:                               American Expeditionary Forces

Rank:                                      Not known

Service Number:                     Not known

Date of Enlisting:                    5.6.1917

Date of death:                         3.1964

Cemetery/ Memorial:             Not known

UK Cemetery/Memorial:       St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour

Arthur was drafted into the army on 5 June 1917. All American troops served in the Western European Theatre of war. He survived the War and returned to America.

He died in March 1964 in Seattle, Washington, USA.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

Family History:

Date of Birth:                28 November 1885

Birth Place:                   Ashwell, Hertfordshire

Residence:                     Seattle, King, Washington

Marriage:                      26.6.1924

Arthur was born on 28th November 1885, the second son of John George and Elizabeth Jane (nee Lester) Bonfield.  He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell. 

In 1913 Arthur went to work as a mine clothing salesman in International Falls, Minnesota, USA and a year later was promoted and moved across the river which forms the border between USA and Canada to Fort Francis, Ontario, Canada.

Arthur married Elizabeth Eva Breen on 27th June 1922 in Seattle, Washington.  They had one daughter, Elizabeth Breen Bonfield, born 1st February 1925.  

Arthur died in March 1964 in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Arthur’s brother John served in the War with the 1/1st Home Counties Field ambulance on the Western Front and survived the War.

The 1851 census shows Arthur’s grandfather, George, as publican at the Three Tuns pub and in Ashwell and farmer of 55 acres. The 1890 Post Office Directory shows that Arthur’s father, John George, took over the running of the Three Tuns and in 1891 he was a job master (someone who rents out horses and carriages).

Commentary:

Royston Crow  9 January 1914