Canfield, Arthur

Arthur was the only son of William and Elizabeth (nee Ellis) Canfield born at Ashwell on 2 February 1884.  He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell, Hertfordshire.

Arthur enlisted on 10 March 1916 with the Leicestershire Regiment, Regimental number 33025.  He saw active service on the Western Front, France and Flanders in the Battle of Arras, beating back the Germans at the Hindenburg Line.  He was wounded and spent some time recovering in England.  He then joined the Labour Corps, Regimental number 403088, until the end of the War.  He survived the War

Arthur was awarded the Military Medal and the British War Medal.

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

The 1911 census shows him living in Ashwell and working as a labourer on a farm.

He married Florence Lawton Roberts on 24 December 1917 at Hornsey, Harringey, London.  The 1921 census shows them living in Ashwell but later that year they moved to Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.  In 1923 they moved to Caldecote, Bedfordshire.  The 1939 census shows him living with his wife, Florence, in Caldecote, a market garden labourer and air warden.  Florence died in 1952.

Arthur married Rachel Webb at Caldecote in 1955 and they lived there until Arthur died in 1968.

It is thought he did not have children.

Royston Crow  We regret to report that Pte Arthur Canfield of the Leicester Regiment has been wounded. In a letter to his sister, Mrs B Booth, he says that he has been badly shaken, and he thinks his fighting days are at an end.  He has taken part in the recent big push, and speaks proudly of the success attained in piercing the boasted Hindenburg Line.  He is hoping soon to arrive in England.