246483 Capt. Arthur Beach Hatt MC.British Army 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry from:Pershore, Worcestershire. (d.1st July 1916) Arthur Hatt was born in 1889 in Oxford, eldest son of Sir Harry and Lady Hatt of Sunnycroft, Bloomfield Park, Bath. His father was Mayor of Bath. After leaving school he decided to pursue a career as a horticulturist and spent several years studying in Holland, Hanover and at the Horticultural College, Wittstock, Brandenburg. He then gained experiance in France before returning to England where in 1911 he was managing a fruit farm near Seaton in Devon before he went into business with an old school friend running a fruit farm in Lilworth, near Pershore, Worcestershire.
At the outbreak of the war he enlisted with the Southdown Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment. Within 3 weeks he was promoted straight to Sergeant, bypassing Lance Corporal and Corporal. In February 1915 he was commissioned as temporary 2nd Lieutenant with the Service Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, promoted to Lieutenant whilst in France in September 1915. He was promoted to Captain on 29th September 1915, a few days after his show of valour for which he was awarded the Military Cross, (London Gazette 4th November 1915); receiving it from the King at Buckingham Palace on 17th May 1916,
"For conspicuous gallantry and determination on Hill 70 on 25th and 26th September 1915, when with a Serjeant and about six men he held on to his position until practically everyone else in the vicinity had retired."
Serving with A Company, 8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry. He was severely injured and died of his wounds on 1st July 1916 aged 27 years, during the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He is buried in Gordon Dump Cemetery, Ovillers-la-Boiselle. His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Scott wrote to Capatain Hatt's parents twice,
"The last I heard of your son he was badly hit, and the stretcher bearers were trying to get him in. He was perfectly splendid, leading his company up to the first line of the German trenches, and smiling and saying 'Come on, you fellows, we've got them now' The Battalion were splendid for the way they went throught the machine gun fire, which opened the moment we came out. They eventually went through four lines of trenches, though, alas I was not there to see it through." and
"Just before leaving France, another officer of the ---------- came down and I obtained further information concerning your son from him. Apparently they brought your son back into our line, but he only lived for a few hours. I say apparently because the young officer was suffering from shell shock, though he seemed quite clear about it"
He was a member of Bedford Modern School 1897-1900, and is commemorated on the School War Memorial, which was unveiled in 1923 and in the Roll of Honour, published in The Eagle, December 1923. He is also remembered on the War Memorial at Bath, Somerset. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com.
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