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2nd Lt. Arthur Coulson MM
British Army 1st/5th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Jarrow
(d.27th Mar 1918)
Arthur Coulson served with 1st/5th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers he was aged 22 when died on 27th March 1918. He was the son of Thomas Septimus and Caroline Jane Coulson (nee Lawer) of 18 Northbourne Road Jarrow and was born in 1895 in Newcastle. On the 1911 census he is recorded as Arthur Coulson age 15 Office Message Boy in Shipyard living with his parents Thomas Septimus and Caroline Jane Coulson and family at 61 Isabella Street, Newcastle. He attended Elswick School Newcastle. He was engaged to Margaret Dixon and worked in Bainbridge's Office where he started as an office boy. He also worked in the Newcastle Chronicle Office, was a Clerk to a solicitor and was also a piano player and a lay preacher. He worked at Monkton hospital in Jarrow. His family were all involved with the Boys Brigade in Jarrow.
Arthur Coulson joined up with his friends Frank Wadorf Allison and did not tell the family what he was intending to do. He volunteered on the 29th of October 1914 at the Westgate Road Newcastle. He was a Seargeant before he left training at Rothbury. Arthur Coulson spent two years in Great Britain before he went to France 7th January 1916 with 18th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieut. in the 5th NF in August 1917, London Gazette.
The battalion War Diary of his last month records, Arthur Coulson as missing for seven months, thought to be a prisoner? The Northumberland Fusiliers Regimental history page 128. "C" Company No. 9 Platoon 564 notes in in pencil 584 Coulson A. Platoon Sgt, Lieut. 5th NF MM died in Germany.
Arthur is commemorated on the Heath Cemetery Memorial, Harbonnieres. He is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrowand was also commemorated one time on a brass plaque with six others, which hung in the porch of St. John's Wesleyan Church St. John’s Terrace, Jarrow The plaque was engraved by Mr. M. Hamilton of Jarrow (aged 80 years) The church was demolished in 1964 (It is not known what happened to the brass plaque).
