Reginald (Edward Reggie) Arkell

Memorial: Patchway

Regiment: Gloucestershire Regiment

Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Private 21068

Parents: Edward J and Elizabeth (nee Davies) Arkell

Marital status: Single

Home address: The Police Station, Henbury, Bristol

Pre-war occupation: Gardener (Domestic) on 1911 Census

Date of birth: 1894

Date of death: 10/04/1917

Buried/Commemorated at: Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery, France

Age: 23

Further information:

Reginald was born in 1894 (4th Quarter) and Baptised Christ Church Downend, 21 November 1894. Although known as Reginald or Reggie, his Christian names on the birth registration was Edward Regie (one g). He was also baptised as Edward Reggie.

Reginald's father Edward was the Police Sergeant at the Henbury Police Station on the 1911 census. His mother Elizabeth died in 1908 age 40, and his father remarried two years later. I could not trace the family on the 1901 Census, but they were in Staple Hill where Reggie and his younger brother were born before moving to Brentry and then on to Henbury.

Reginald served with the 144th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Formerly 2093 Gloucestershire Regiment). The 144th Machine Gun Company was formed in January 1916 and was part of the 48th (South Midland) Division. Reginald was Killed in Action on 10/04/1917.

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Findmypast (Soldiers Died during the Great War, 1901 & 1911 Census etc), Researcher John Davis.