Worboys, Arthur Charles

Worboys, Arthur Charles

Military History:

Regiment:                               Northamptonshire Regiment

Rank:                                      Private

Regimental Number:             9579

Date of Enlisting:                  4.7.1912

Date of death:                       Not known

Cemetery/ Memorial:            

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

Arthur enlisted with the army on 4th July 1912.  He joined the Northamptonshire Regiment, Regimental Number 9579 on 13th August 1914.  He saw active service on the Western Front, in the Battle of Mons, and was wounded three times by the end of 1916. He was discharged in 1919 as surplus to military requirements (having suffered impairment since entry into the service, but he survived the War.  It is not known when he died.

Arthur was awarded the 14/15 Star, the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Silver War Badge.

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

Family History:

Date of Birth:                1st quarter 1894

Birth Place:                   Ashwell, Hertfordshire

Residence:                    Not known

Marriage:                      Not known

Arthur was born in the 1st quarter 1894 at Ashwell, Hertfordshire, the only son of Charles and Catherine (nee Smith) Worboys. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.  By all accounts he was a very colourful character.

It is thought Arthur did not marry or have children.

It is not known when he died.

Commentary:

In Albert Sheldrick’s A Different World on p115 he says :

Arthur “Shaver” Worboys was a big strong man, a Mons hero, worked as a navvy on the building of the Wembley Exhibition in the early 1920’s. He wandered all over the country, working here and there, drinking heavily, and returning to his mothers’ cottage in Silver Street from time to time, borrowing half a crown here and a shilling there, which he would repay months afterwards.

He was known as ‘Shaver’ and survived the war with some disabilities. He lived in Back Street but would go off on prolonged periods to work as a navvy.