Arthur’s parent’s 1911
Arthur Franklin. Died 6 August 1915
Arthur George Franklin was the eldest of 3 boys born to George and Alice Franklin in Wokingham in about 1894. In 1901 he lived in Seaford Road with his parents and by 1911 when the two little brothers had arrived, the family lived at 9 Rose Gardens, Rose Street, Wokingham. By this time Arthur was 18 and already a soldier, he had joined the 1st battalion Dorest Regiment on 17th February 1911 and was stationed at Blackdown camp, Farnborough.
According to his Army service records he was (on enlistment) 5ft 4 ins tall and 109lbs, he had a fresh complexion and light brown hair.
Basra Memorial To The Missing.
At some time during the war he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion and then served in India between March 1913 and October 1914.
He died whilst serving in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) on 6th August 1915. His death appears to have been from drowning; a court of inquiry was heard concerning his disappearance and evidence taken from witnesses, he was bathing in the river at about 05.30am and it would seem that he drowned there.
His name appears on the Basra memorial to the missing.