The AIF Project

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Melbourne, 10 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 7 December 1915.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Killed in action, 19 July 1916.

Buried Eaton Hall Cemetery by Reverend George Cranston, 20 July 1916.

Statement, Red Cross File No 721104, 2181 Pte A.P. LEIGHTON, D Company, 29th Bn (patient, Colchester Military Hospital, England), 7 November 1916: 'Informant states that on 19-20-7-16 about 7 a.m. at Fleurbaix near Fromelles he saw Cheshire killed outright by a shell in our own trenches ... Cheshire was buried next day in [a/the] cemetery towards Levantie.'

Second statement, 1270 Pte O.A. ZEISING, D Company, 29th Bn (patient, 23rd General hospital, Etaples), 6 November 1916: 'I saw Cheshire killed at Fromelles on 19th. July. A shell lobbed into the trench and killed him outright.'

Third statement, 1239 Pte R.W. SCURR, D Company, 29th Bn (patient, 3rd Southern General Hospital, Town Hall, Oxford, England), 9 November 1916: 'I saw Arthur Cheshire (D. XIV) killed on the morning of the 20th July at Fromelles. He was killed by a shell. I was close to him at the time, and the dirt from the shell came over me. I was wounded just afterwards, and came away, so I cannot tell you where he was buried ... We took a German trench on the evening of 19th July, we held it during the night, but were driven out again the next morning. We had retired back and were in our own front line when Arthur Cheshire was killed.'

Fourth statement, 898 Pte D.G. HAMILTON,C Company, 29th Bn (patient, No 20 General Hospital, Etaples), 9 November 1916: 'On the night July (?) 19th. he was killed by [a] bomb in German trenches; head blown to pieces.'

Fifth statement, 1251 Pte R.T. TORBITT [TORBETT], D Company, 29th Bn, 16 November 1916: 'He as killed at Fleurbaix on July 19th. I saw his body in the trench with part of the head gone ... Pte. Peel, XIV Pl, D. Co., helped to bury him in No. 1 Plot. in the cemetery just behind the line.'

Sixth statement, 1184 Pte T.A. METHER, 29th Bn (patient, King George's Hospital, Waterloo, London, England), 21 November 1916: 'Informant states that on July 20th at Fromelles Pte. Cheshire was hit in the head and killed. Informant saw him carried out dead.'

Seventh statement, Pte W. MILES, 29 November 1916: 'After a strenuous night's work, crossing No Man's Land, repeatedly carrying bombs etc. poor CHESHIRE was killed instantly, just after reaching our own trench. He was sitting behind our parapet, when a small shell came through and seemed to catch him full in the chest. He never moved. I was within five feet of him and sent stretcher bearers to take his disc and belt off.'