Arnold Pumphrey (1891-1917)
Sunderland solicitor who served with 20th DLI awarded DSO
Arnold Pumphrey, the son of Thomas Edwin and Mary Anna Pumphrey, was born at 3 Clifton Villas, Sunderland on 25 July 1881, the youngest of nine children. He went to Strainongate School in Kendal and Bootham Quaker School in Yorkshire. In 1911 he was still living with his parents in Sunderland and was working as a solicitor’s articled clerk. By November 1913 he had passed the Solicitor’s Final Examination of the Law Society and set up in practice as a solicitor in Sunderland the following year.
However, in September 1914 he enlisted as a private in the 5th (City of London) Battalion of the London Regiment and on 4 November he landed in France. He was wounded at Ploegsteert Wood in December 1914 and In May 1915 he was gassed and invalided home. After further training in Camps at Bedford and Strensall he returned to France and on 7 October 1915 was commissioned in the field as a temporary 2nd lieutenant in the 20th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI). He was promoted to temporary lieutenant on 2 December 1915 and to temporary captain in April 1916. In May 1917 he was mentioned in despatches ‘For gallant and distinguished service in the field’. In June he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). In September he was involved in repelling the advance of the enemy over the ‘Tower Hamlets’ Ridge and on 21 September was shot in the head and died whilst leading his company against a nest of machine-guns.
He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Bootham School Archives blog, page on Arnold Pumphrey:
http://blogs.boothamschool.com/archives/?p=941
North East War Memorials website, page on Arnold Pumphrey:
http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1328&displayorder=45
Civil Parish: Sunderland
Birth date: 25-Jul-1891
Death date: 21-Sep-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: ‘Mayfield’, 1 Thornhill Park, Sunderland (1901 & 1911 censuses)
Education: Strainongate School, Kendal, Cumberland
Bootham Quaker School, York
Religion: Quaker
Organisation membership: Member of the Law Society
Employment: Solicitor
Family: Father: Thomas Edwin Pumphrey J.P.
Mother: Mary Anna Pumphrey (nee Wilson)
Siblings: Helen Katharine, Edwin Harold, Ethelwyn, Stanley Wilson, Hubert (2nd Lt., Cheshire Regt. Killed in action April 1918), Leonard, Gladys Mary & Muriel Pumphrey
Military service:
20th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Captain
Medal(s): Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Dispatches
1914-1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Durham Cathedral D.L.I. Book of Remembrance 1914-1918
Solicitors & Articled Clerks WWI Memorial, The Law Society, Holborn, London
Sunderland Cricket and Rugby Football Club 1914-1918 Roll of Honour
Sunderland Incorporated Law Society 1914-1918 Memorial Plaque
Sunderland Minster 1914-1918 Memorial Screen
Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
Gender: Male
Contributed by John Edwards