Dean Arthur Percy 1896

Arthur Percy Dean

1896-1976

Father Nm: William Dean 1862 Holmer Green, Bucks
Mother Nm: Mary 1856 Ipswich, Suffolk.
Marriage Dt: October 25th 1920 at High Wycombe to Martha Jane Blinko

K comments:

Spouse comments: Martha Jane Blinko {4526} was born 10.Feb 1896 Bardon Hill, Ashby de la Zouch 1896-died age 103 at Ascot in 1999

Photo was taken 1917

1911 Census

Living with family at 61 Desborough Rd. High Wycombe-errand boy.

Royal Bucks Hussars
Royal Bucks Hussars	Buckinghamshire Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry

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Dean Arthur Percy, 1896, High Wycombe, Trooper, Private 1746, 28520,Royal Bucks Hussars, 2nd/1st Bucks Battalion, 2/4th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, Royal Tank Corps.

1914-1917

Oct. The date which Arthur joined up with the Royal Bucks Hussars can be determined from this information from the Army Numbers Blogspot Serial number 1526 joined on 15th September 1914
number 1758 joined on 20th October 1914 thus putting Arthur at 1746 close to mid-October.
The RBH was based in England during the war and as such was used to train men for the war. Arthur would have then been based close to home for this period and safe. However, the pressure of recruitment must have forced the regiment to transfer the Bucks battalions onto the frontline as casualties rose.
Clints Roll of Honour records this for Arthur; Bucks Roll of Honour
- 1914-16 RBH
- Memorials/notes etc. RBH Transfers. Tpr 1746 to 2/1st Bucks Btn 26/12/17 – 61 Desborough Road
The records, therefore, show Arthur at home until Dec 1917.

1917

26 Dec. Arthur transfers from the Royal Bucks Hussars to the 2/1st Bucks Battalion. The 2/1st Bn. had been at the front since July 1916 so was an experience battalion of the 184th Brigade, 61st Division. The Bn.had finished the year up at Suzanne on the Somme when Arthur joined them.

1918

Jan.”Early in January, the 61st Division moved forward to its old line at St. Quentin. The Battalion marched from Suzanne to Vauvillers, remained there a few days, and then marched to Nesle, where they entrained to go up to the front line in the same sector as before”.⁵
Feb. As the whole Army was reduced to three Brigades to a division the 2/1st Bucks was marked for abolition. But not before it was utilised as an entrenching battalion.
22 Feb.”The surplus units were detached as entrenching Battalions behind the line until drafts were required for the surviving units of their County Regiment. On the 22nd February, the 2nd Bucks marched to Germaine and thence to Herly (near Nesle), where they became the 25th Entrenching Battalion, and were employed on the construction of a light railway. Having recently received drafts, the Battalion was strong: 42 officers, 6 W.O.’s, 120 N.C.O.’s, and 637 other ranks”.⁵
21 Mar.”On the 21st March, the great German offensive took place, and the whole St. Quentin front gave way under the enormous pressure of the masses concentrated against that area. The Battalion was called upon to assist stemming in the rush and did good service in the defence of Nesle. During the subsequent ten days, the Battalion was attached to the 61st Brigade, 20th Division, and was involved in continuous fighting during the retreat, gaining a special distinction at Le Quesnil, Demuin, and Hanguard. Their losses in killed and wounded during this time amounted to 9 officers and 150 other ranks”.⁵
7 Apr. The time was now for the 2/1st to be absorbed into the 2/4th OBLI which was done smoothly and Arthur was now in his last regiment for the war and with the 61st Division again.
11-12 Apr. The Battalion (less D Company, travelling with 2/5th Glosters) entrained at Hangest, the 61st Division having been ordered to the north. On the 12th April, they arrived at Steenbeque.
The Battle of the Lys.
- 12 Apr. The Division proceeded through the Nieppe forest to St Venant and then heard that the enemy had crossed the La Bassee Canal heading towards Robecq and St Venant. Fierce fighting took place this day at the Calonne Rd. “German patrols had penetrated, and at Carvin had crossed the streams Noc and Clarence”.⁴
- “During the afternoon fighting for the possession of Baquerolle Farm and its adjacent orchards engaged the Battalion’s left flank. …….The salient of Baquerolle Farm, which it had cost valuable lives to reach, was retained.”.⁴
- 13 Apr. “Throughout April 13 and for several days afterwards desultory fighting, in which our trench-mortars under Miller performed good service, was maintained for the possession of Baquerolle Farm… which remain in our hands”.⁴
Apr-May. For the rest of April and during May the Battalion continued to do tours in the Robecq sector.
Aug. “Early in August 1918, the 61st relieved the 5th Division in front of the Nieppe Forest. At 7 p.m. on August 7 A and B Companies attacked and captured the trenches opposite to them, causing the enemy to retire behind the Plate Becque, a stream as wide as the Cherwell at Islip but far less attractive. We had a dozen casualties in this attack, which was rewarded by half as many German prisoners and a machine-gun”.⁴
28 Aug. German retreat and pursuit Germans were in general retreat and as such the Bn. pursued them from The Nieppe Forest through Merville to Neuf Berquin. “At short notice, we attacked from Neuf Berquin on August 28. In some places, the advance was quite successful, but in others not. German counter-attacks obliged A Company, which had made good progress south of the Neuf Berquin-Estaires road in the morning, to withdraw its patrols at dusk. A few days later, however, the opposition lessened, and companies went forward several miles”.⁴
12 Sept. The battalion un-successfully attacked Junction Post northeast of Laventie. Relieved shortly afterwards the Bn. was sent to Sailly-sur-la-Lys in reserve.
30 Sept.” On September 30 the enemy lost Junction Post to a spirited attack by the Gloucesters, the line that he had been holding for three weeks was broken, and his retreat became fast and general. After relieving the Gloucesters our companies were hard put to it to advance rapidly enough to keep touch. At last, we stood upon the Aubers Ridge itself. Lille was almost in view; but at this point, the Division was relieved by the 59th and sent southwards to join our armies before Cambrai, where the final issue between British and German arms was destined to be decided”.⁴
24 Oct. Rapid Advance and capture of the railway at Sepmeries.In an attack on October 24 from Haussy, the Battalion, advancing rapidly in artillery formation, captured the high ground east of Bermerain; and the next day B and D Companies …again attacked, and captured the railway south-east of Sepmeries.
2 Nov. Moving up again on November 2, the Battalion made its last attack of the war. A fine success resulted. The objectives—St. Hubert and the ridge east of it—were captured, together with 700 prisoners, 40 machine-guns, and 4 tanks.
11 Nov. In reserve on this day. “After time spent at Cambrai, we travelled back to Domart, a village midway between Amiens and Abbeville”.⁴

1919

Feb, “In February the Battalion, which it was known would be made up with drafts and retained for service as a unit, was sent to Etaples to assist in the Demobilisation scheme. For a month we remained meeting trains, escorting parties to camps, sorting clothing, and driving herds of the demobilised through the intricacies of a machine called the ‘Delouser,’ until the arriving trainloads decreased, dwindled, and finally stopped”.⁴
It is presumed that Arthur was discharged returned in the spring of 1919 to High Wycombe.

1920

11 Sept. Arthur occupation a Chairmaker and recently wed to Martha enlisted in the Tank Corps. Serial Number 539131. Previously with the Bucks Hussars. The service period although was just for one year.

1921

10 Sept. Discharged from the Tank Corps.

Sources

Clints Roll of Honour at Buckinghamshire Remembers.
A brief history of the Royal Bucks Yeomanry (1794-1939)
“Citizen Soldiers of Bucks” by JC Swann.
The story of the 2/4th Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry note the same movements as 2/1st Bucks.
The Light Bobs website war diary extracts of OBLI battalions
Photographs and family recollections from George Blinko nephew of Martha Jane Blinko.