Oyston, Arthur

Oyston, Arthur

Military History:

Regiment:                               Tank Corps

Rank:                                      Gunner

Regimental Number:              77550

Date of Enlisting:                    7.9.1914

Date of death:                         Not known

Cemetery/ Memorial:            

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

Arthur enlisted at Hitchin with the Bedfordshire Territorial Army on 7th September 1914, Regimental Number G/2696. His military records show him as a private with the East Surrey Regiment but there is no evidence for this. He embarked to the Western Front, France and Flanders on 4th October 1915 with the Tank Corps, Regimental Number 77550. In May 1916 he was injured in the eye and gassed during the Battle of Messines. After recovering he joined the Central Workshop and in July 1917 he was listed as a blacksmith. On 16th January 1918 he was graded as a tank mechanic.

Arthur survived the War and was transferred to the Reserve Regiment on 21st July 1919.  It is not known when he died.

Arthur  was awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

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

Family History:

Date of Birth:                c1885

Birth Place:                   Ashwell, Hertfordshire

Residence:                    Not known

Marriage:                      Not known

Arthur was the second son of Emma Oyston, born in Ashwell, Hertfordshire c1885. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

Before joining the army Arthur was a blacksmith working for R Austin of Dunton, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

It is not known if Arthur married or had children.

It is not known when Arthur died.

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