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Sgt. Arthur Varney MM.
British Army 11th Btn, B Coy. Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Rgt.
from:4 Field Row, Belper
(d.4th Oct 1918)
Sergeant 32110 Arthur Varney MM, 11th Btn. Sherwood Foresters was killed in action by shellfire at St Quentin on Friday 4th October 1918, aged 20, just over a month before the war ended. He was also wounded on Saturday 1st July 1916 during the first day of the Somme when the Battalion attacked the Leipzig Salient.
Arthur is buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery Gouy, Aisne, France. He was awarded the Military Medal on 15th June in the field for gallantry in action fighting the Austrians on the Italian front. Arthur enlisted in Belper on Sunday 7th November 1915 aged 17 and he was the eldest son of Arthur and Zipporah Varney, of 4, Field Row, Belper. His Military Medal Citation reads as follows: "Varney Arthur. Corporal 32110. 11th Battalion: London Gazette 21.10.1918. For gallantry and devotion to duty when in an attack at San Sisto Ridge, Italy 15.6.1918."
Additional Information:
Varney, Arthur, Sergeant, 32110, 11th Battalion, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment Born: South Wigston, Leicestershire Enlisted: Derby Resided: Belper, Derbyshire Awarded the Military Medal Killed in action 4th October 1918 Aged 20 Son of Arthur and Zipporah Varney, of 4 Field Row, Belper, Derbyshire Buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gouy, France, Grave Reference: III, A, 5
Arthur was born on the 11th of February 1898 in Garden Street, South Wigston, Leicestershire. The first born of Arthur and Zipporah Varney. Although most all of his short life was spent at 4 Field Row, Belper, Derbyshire. This was the home he left to sign up, on Sunday 7th November 1915, just a boy of 17, lying about his age, no doubt looking for adventure. Arthur was one of eight children, one girl and seven boys. The youngest, my father Frank, and his older brother Walter would follow in Arthur’s footsteps in 1940 as part of the second British Expeditionary Force. Twins, Cyril and Les, would join the Navy and Marines respectively. The other two brothers were miners.
Precious little is known of Arthur’s childhood, but we do know he was a keen swimmer. Learning to swim in the river Derwent that passes through the village of Belper. Arthur later became a member of the local swimming club, playing Water Polo at Gibfield baths, possibly even more so during his time on leave from the army, since he got free entry during that time! Arthur was memorialised by the club in 1920. The plaque now resides in St John's Chapel, The Butts, Belper. Arthur is also memorialised on a plaque from Brettles, St Peters Church, and of course at the memorial gardens in Belper.
On leaving school, Arthur secured a job at Brettles, a hosiery company in Belper, in all probability the only other opportunity was working down the mines. What a pity he chose Brettles, as a miner he would have been in a protected industry and needed at home. Shortly after Arthur enlisted in November 1915 he undertook basic training (very basic by today’s standards) at Brockton Staffordshire before being posted to France. Arthur in all probability joined his Battalion in France during June 1916, the most likely dates being the 12th and 13th. Just two weeks prior to the battle of the Somme.
Arthur’s first experience of war was on the first day of the battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916 where he was wounded in his very first attack. He was not alone, hundreds from the 11th Battalion were killed or wounded. Many battles later his luck was still holding, until he was drafted to Italy in November 1917 that is.
As a section commander in Italy on the 15th June 1918 he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in action and devotion to duty whilst fighting the Austrians on the Italian front at San Sisto Ridge, Asiago, Italy. His Military Medal Citation reads as follows: Varney Arthur. Corporal 32110. 11th Battalion: For gallantry and devotion to duty when in an attack at San Sisto Ridge, Italy 15.6.1918. London Gazette 21.10.1918.
Sometime between 16 June and 2nd August he was promoted to Serjeant. Shortly after that he came home on leave, spending August Bank Holiday with his family, it was during this time that the photograph of him as a sergeant was taken. It would be the last time his family would see him alive, his next stop was to be France again. Whilst the official date of Arthur’s death is the 4th Oct.1918, it’s possible that it was the 5th. During the night of the 3rd/4th, B Coy was moving into the forward trenches at Mt St Martin when they were hit by German shellfire. Arthur died as a result of this. However, Arthur’s death was confirmed in a letter dated October16th from Lieut. O.R. Orchard, stating that Sjt. Varney fell in action on October 5th. The Battalion war diary mentions two shellfire casualties on the 4th but is silent as to shellfire casualties on the 5th, although two OR’s died of wounds on the 5th, so it’s ‘possible’ for him to have died of his wounds on the 5th. Arthur was killed in action by shellfire whilst moving into the forward trenches at Mt St Martin, near St, Quentin, France, on Friday 4th October 1918, aged just 20. Just over a month before the war officially ended on 11th Nov 1918. Arthur is buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery at Gouy, Aisne, France. Plot 3. Row A. Grave 5. EXTRACTS FROM THE BELPER NEWS 1916 - 1918 The Belper News. 1916 Although Private Arthur Varney, of the sherwoods, whose parents reside in Field Row, Belper, has been reported wounded on July 1st, the officials appear to have lost trace of the particular hospital in which he is located. Varney enlisted in the Regular Army on the 7th November last as being 18 years of age, though he was only that age in April last. Previous to his joining the Colours he was employed at Messrs. Brettles. A letter was received from him on the 3rd ult., in which he referred to the coming great advance. Letters were received daily from him for months, and since he went to France he wrote several times each week to those at home, Mrs. Varney, who really belongs to Leicester is a member of a fighting family. She has three brothers, one a prisoner in Germany, captured in the retreat from Mons, whole another is also a more recent prisoner. A third brother re-joined the Colours, after 14 years’ service, and is now in France. He also was in the great retreat from Mons. August 2nd 1918 Another M.M. for Belper Man. Sergeant Arthur Varney, Sherwoods, of Field Row, Belper, who is only 20 years of age, was awarded the Military Medal on June 15th for Gallantry in action in Italy during the last push against the Austrians. Varney, who was recently promoted to Serjeant, joined up some 3 years ago when working at Messrs. Brettles and after training proceeded to France where he'd experienced some heavy fighting, particularly in the Somme area. He had been most fortunate in coming out of every ordeal unscathed and in never having been in hospital. He was transferred to Italy some nine months ago and has not been able to obtain leave. His recent letters home have referred to his constant good luck in escaping death and wounds while he also remarks on the Italian hot weather. Other letters received in the town from his comrades state that Varney was decorated with the M.M. on the field.
18th October 1918. Sergeant Arthur Varney, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Varney, Field Row, Belper is reported by two of his comrades to have been killed by a shell and laid to rest in a military cemetery. No official intimation has been received, though the news arrived from V. Oldknow of Belper and T. Martin from Heage. The deceased, who was just over 20 years of age had won the M.M. and obtained his promotion on the field. He joined Kitchener's Army in 1914 and was drafted to France with the Sherwood's, taking part in the first severe fighting on the Somme. After 2 years in France he was transferred to Italy and was home on leave some nine weeks ago when he returned to France where he met his death. Sergeant Varney was a former employee of Messrs. Brettles.
1st November 1918. We recently referred to the death of Sjt. Arthur Varney, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Varney of Field Row Belper, whose death was reported by two comrades, one of Heage and the other of Belper. A further letter to the deceased's mother from Lieut. O.R. Orchard dated Oct.16th confirms their statement that Sjt. Varney fell in action on Oct.5th. The deceased joined up voluntarily in 1915 at the age of 17, trained in Kitchener's Army at Brockton and crossed to France in 1916, taking part in the severe fighting on the Somme. Being next drafted to Italy, he fought in several actions on the Piave during 8 months. He came home on leave spending August Bank Holiday with his parents after which he was again drafted to France and was killed by a shell as stated. Deceased was in his 21st year and had been employed at Messrs. Brettles previous to his enlistment. He won the M.M. in June when in Italy, fighting against the Austrians, the ribbon being presented to him by his Commanding Officer.
Kevin Varney
