BILLINGHAM Arthur

Possibly Private
2nd Battalion Essex Regiment. Formerly 200948, South Staffordshire Regiment.
Service No 203215
Born Stoke-on-Trent, resident Cradley, Staffordshire, enlisted Old Hill, Staffordshire
Killed in action aged 20 on 8th August 1918
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Billingham, 63 Bearmore Road., Old Hill, Staffordshire
Born at Cradley, Staffordshire
Buried in Mont-Bernanchon British Cemetery, Gonnehem, France, Grave II. C. 1.

Arthur Billingham was born in Cradley and his family lived in Bearmore Road, Old Hill. He enlisted in the South Staffordshire Regiment and was transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Essex Regiment. In 1917 they were involved in the Spring Battles of Arras and from August in the long Third Battle of Ypres at Broodseinde and Poelcappelle. In April 1918 they faced the second German Spring offensive on the Lys and were driven back as far as Bethune. They stayed on this line until the start of the Advance to Victory in August. Just before the great advance Private Arthur Billingham was killed in action, probably by shell fire, on the 18th August.

Researched by The Black Country Society.

A photograph of the grave of Private Arthur Billingham, 203215, is availbale. If you would like to purchase a copy for a donation of £3.00, please email me: rememberthefallen.co.uk@gmail.com

Or

Possibly Electrical Artificer 4th Class
H.M.S. Black Prince Royal Navy
Service No M/6174
Died aged 22 on 31st May 1916
Son of Bertha Billingham, 73 Graingers Lane, Cradley Heath, Staffordshire
Commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire, England, Panel 20.

Naval records:
Born 20th September 1891, Cradley Heath, Staffordshire.
Next of Kin, Mother – Bertha, 60 Banners Rd, Overend, Cradley, Staffordshire.
Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action on 31st May 1916.

HMS Black Prince was a Duke of Edinburgh class armoured cruiser. Following the Battle of Jutland, for reasons unknown, the ship had become separated from the main British Fleet. Shortly before midnight a line of battleships was dimly seen ahead and Captain Thomas Bonham altered course towards them assuming them to be British. With half a mile separating the ships the crew of HMS Black Prince realised that they had sailed into the German Fleet. Brilliantly lit by searchlights and fired on at short range by a tornado of shells, she was quickly set ablaze and within minutes exploded with the loss of all 857 men on board – 37 officers, 815 men and 5 civilians.

Electrical Artificer Arthur Billingham has no known grave.  A photograph showing his name on Portsmouth Naval Memorial is available.  If you would like to purchase a copy for a donation of £3.00, please email me: rememberthefallen.co.uk@gmail.com