Arthur Black (1892-1978)
West Auckland man served with Canadian Army
Arthur Black was born on 1 June 1892 in Haswell to Robert and Annie Black. He lived much of his life in West Auckland before he emigrated to Canada in 1913, following the death of his father. He found work as a physical instructor. He enlisted in Brandon, Manitoba on 9 May 1916 and became Private 234959 of the 203rd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). He stated on his enlistment papers that he had served for three months in the Home Guard in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
After arriving in Liverpool on 5 November 1916, Arthur travelled to his battalion’s base at Bramshott. It was here just under a month later that he was promoted to acting sergeant. The entirety of Arthur’s military service occurred in Britain. After complaining of knee pain in April 1918, Arthur was diagnosed with chronic synovitis in the left knee. It is not clear whether his transfer to the Canadian Army Gymnastics Staff with the rank of acting sergeant in August 1918 was as a result of this injury, but it is probable that his prior career as a physical instructor was beneficial to him in this role.
Arthur Black was demobilised in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 24 June 1919 after arriving back in Canada four days earlier. At some point, Arthur returned to County Durham where he died in 1978.
Civil Parish: West Auckland
Birth date: 1-Jun-1892
Death date: 1978
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Darlington Road, West Auckland (1901 census)
2 Eden Crescent, West Auckland (1911 census)
YMCA Brandon, Manitoba, Canada (enlistment papers)
Religion: Methodist
Employment: Physical instructor (enlistment papers)
Military service:
Home Guards, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
234959
Private
203rd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
Served in England
Canadian Army Gymnastics Staff
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Male
Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham