Arthur Sims MM
Memorial: Pilning
Regiment: Royal Engineers
Medals: British War Medal, Military Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Serjeant 79035
Parents: William and Ella Sims
Home address: Elenors Farm, Pilning, Bristol or Laurel Cottage, Redwick, Pilning, Bristol
Pre-war occupation: Coal Miner Hewer
Date of birth: 1880
Place of birth: Broad Hinton, Swindon, Wiltshire
Date of death: 15/11/1918
Buried/Commemorated at: Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery (II. E. 12.), France
Age: 38
Further information:
Arthur was the son of William and Ella Sims. William Sims was a carter originally from London and Ella was born in Broad Hinton. In the 1891 census the family lived at Ableton Lane, Compton Greenfield, Henbury with children Arthur (10) and Sarah (9) born at Broad Hinton and Mabel (4) and Era Rose (2) born in Almondsbury
In the 1901 Census Arthur, a Railway Plate Layer was living with his mother Ella Sims and siblings Rose (12), William (6), and Fred (4), Mabel, now 14 years old, was a ‘General Domestic Servant’ working with an older girl at Severn Farm, Henbury. William Sims (senior) was a patient in the Royal Infirmary, Maudlin Street, Bristol, he was 44 years old. The family lived at Marsh Common, Almondsbury
In the 1911 Census Arthur Sims was living in South Wales as a boarder at 5 Lewis Terrace, Wattstown, Ynishir, Rhondda. Arthur’s occupation was a ‘Coal Miner Hewer’. William Sims (senior) described as a ‘Farm Bailiff’ had moved to Elenors Farm, Pilning, with wife Ella, daughter Mabel who did dairy work and sons William and Fredrick as farm servants
In 1918 Arthur Sims enlisted at Bristol (No. 7309) in the Gloucester Regiment, then 180th Tunnelling Corps Royal Engineers and No. 79035 in 160th Tunnelling Corps, Royal Engineers. His experience in the coal mines was invaluable and he quickly rose to the rank of Serjeant. Serjeant Arthur Sims was awarded the Military Medal, this was mentioned in the London Gazzette on 27th June 1918, there were no details about what act of bravery he had done to be awarded this distinction. The Tunnelling Corps dug tunnels to set explosives very close to enemy troops, an extremely hazardous job
Serjeant Arthur Sims MM was 38 years old when he was Killed in Action in the Flanders region on 15th November 1918, he is remembered at Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery in France
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Publication: Village Heroes. Pilning and Severn Beach History Group. Nancy Vowles and Val George researched and put together the information
Forces War Records and CWGC