Arthur's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Arthur Frost was born on 27th November 1886 and baptised on 25th May 1887 at Wellington Road Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Bollington, the son of Elizabeth and Samuel Frost, a policeman of Wellington Road, Bollington. The 1891 census records Arthur and his mother living with Elizabeth’s mother in Wolstanton, Staffordshire. In 1901, Elizabeth and Samuel with their five children were living at Styal Cross, Cheshire where Samuel was the village police constable for several years. Arthur, then 14 years of age, was working as a cotton weaver.
By 1911 Arthur's family had moved to Runcorn, Cheshire; his parents later lived at Hadfield, Derbyshire, and by the time the Imperial (later Commonwealth) War Graves Commission registered his details for memorialisation they had moved to 32 Mottram Moor, Hollingworth, Manchester.
By 1911 Arthur's family had moved to Runcorn, Cheshire; his parents later lived at Hadfield, Derbyshire, and by the time the Imperial (later Commonwealth) War Graves Commission registered his details for memorialisation they had moved to 32 Mottram Moor, Hollingworth, Manchester.
WW1 SERVICE
Arthur enlisted into the Army and by 1911 he was serving with the 2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment at Jabalpur, India. The census entry notes that he was a telegraphist, and he was absent on census night.
It appears that Arthur left the Army before 1914, but on the outbreak of war in August 1914 he was recalled and re-enlisted into the Cheshire Regiment in Crewe. He probably travelled to Ireland initially, where the 1st Battalion was stationed before the War, and is known to have been posted into ‘C’ Company.
It appears that Arthur left the Army before 1914, but on the outbreak of war in August 1914 he was recalled and re-enlisted into the Cheshire Regiment in Crewe. He probably travelled to Ireland initially, where the 1st Battalion was stationed before the War, and is known to have been posted into ‘C’ Company.
The 1st Battalion landed in France on 16th August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force and soon after was deployed in action against the Germans to cover the withdrawal of British troops from Mons. Heavy fighting took place at Audregnies near the French-Belgian border on 24th August and the Battalion was almost overwhelmed by four German regiments. By the end of the day, only 205 officers and men could be mustered from the Battalion’s original strength of 1000. The remainder had been killed, wounded or captured by the Germans. It was later confirmed that 3 officers and 54 men had been killed on that day, including Privates Arthur Frost and Edward Eaton – the first two men from Macclesfield and district to be killed in the Great War.
Arthur was reported missing on 9 September 1914 and in January 1916 his death was confirmed to have taken place on 24 August 1914. Whilst he was missing, his parents, who were living at 401 Hadfield Lane, Hadfield, Derbyshire, made enquiries to the Red Cross in an attempt to discover his whereabouts.
COMMEMORATION
Private Arthur Frost has no known grave, and he is commemorated on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial in Seine-et-Marne, France.
Locally, Private Arthur Frost is commemorated on Hadfield war memorial. He may be the Arthur Frost named on the Styal Village and Styal Methodist Church war memorials.
NOTES
Another Arthur Frost, who was born in Manchester in 1886, served with the RGA, died of wounds in 1918 and is commemorated in Macclesfield.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.
NOTES
Another Arthur Frost, who was born in Manchester in 1886, served with the RGA, died of wounds in 1918 and is commemorated in Macclesfield.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.