SIMMONDS, Arthur James

Helles Memorial, Gallipoli TurkeyCredit: CWGC

Rifleman
B Company 1st/8th Battalion Isle of Wight Rifles
Hampshire Regiment

Arthur was born 1893 in Newport to William & Charlotte Ann (nee WOOLCOCK) SIMMONDS who were living at 101 Hunnyhill in Newport around the time of Arthur’s death.

Arthur served as a Rifleman with the 8th Bn. known as the Isle of Wight Rifles. 900 Rifles landed at Sulva Bay, Gallipoli, on 10th August 1915.

On the 12th August, together with other members of the 163rd Brigade, the Rifles were ordered to advance & occupy a ridge of hills in front of them, & in doing so, cut off the Turkish armies in the area of Anzac beach & cape Helles, in order to dominate the Dardanelles straights.  During the first attack, 8 officers over 300 men of the Rifles were reported killed or missing.

Arthur, aged 22, was one of those listed as Missing Presumed Killed in Action on the 12th of August 1915. He is commemorated by the Commission on the Helles Memorial to The Missing at Gallipoli, Turkey alongside 20,961 of his First World War comrades.

Arthur is also remembered on the Newport Borough & IW Rifles War Memorials.

CWGC Casualty Record

Cemetary

Sons & Daughters Commemorated Far From Home

Those from the Newport & Carisbrooke area who are buried or commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission outside of the area, both in the UK and in other countries.

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The image is of the Tyne Cot Military Cemetery & Memorial in Belgium.