Lives of the First World War

In the 1911 census Arthur Gillen was aged 12, living with his father, Henry, a carter, and mother Ellen at Neatham Hill, Alton. He was a boy soldier, who enlisted in the Queens and went with the 7th Battalion to France on 27-7-1915. He was in action on the first day of the Somme, when his Battalion took all their objectives. However he was Killed and is buried in Dantzig Alley Cemetery. After the war his parents lived at Spreakley Cottages, Frensham. Arthur is on the Frensham War Memorial His brother, Pte William Gillen G/1730 also served and is buried in Frensham churchyard. His arrival in France was also 27-7-1915 so he was also in the 7th Queens.,at least for a time, William was presumed dead on 12-8-1916 but turned up only to die of wounds on 25-9-1917 in a UK hospital.

Arthur Gillen is named on this Memorial.