Description
1914 Star, British War and Victory Medal, 8021 Pte Arthur Bolden, 1st Bn Bedfordshire Regt, who was wounded by Gunshot to the face, hand and legs, 1st Day of the attack on Hill 60 aka “Murder Hill”, 17th April 1915.
Star officially impressed: “8021 Pte A. Bolden. 1/Bedf:R”
Pair officially impressed: “8021 Pte A. Bolden. Bedf. R.”
Arthur was admitted to hospital on 17th April 1915, “Gun Shot Wounds, Face, Right Hand & Legs”.
Arthur went down on the first day of the attack, but the 1st Bedfords despite heavy casualties fought over the hill for the next 2 weeks, leading to the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross to his comrade, Pte Edward Warner, 1st Beds, who was decorated for the 1st May 1915 on Hill 60.
Hill 60 was deemed to be of great tactical importance by both the British and Germans, which led to years of back and forth battles to control it.
The main attack that brough it under control of the British came on 17th April 1915 when Pte Bolden was wounded:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Hill_60_(Western_Front)#17%E2%80%9318_April
“On 17 April at 7:05 p.m., the first pair of mines were blown and the rest ten seconds later. Débris was flung almost 300 ft (91 m) into the air and scattered for 300 yd (270 m) in all directions, causing some casualties to the attacking battalions of the 13th Brigade of the 5th Division. The German garrison was overwhelmed, a platoon of Saxon Infantry Regiment 105 (SIR 105) in the front line being killed, the men of the garrison capable of resistance were bayoneted and twenty Germans were taken prisoner for seven British casualties. An attempt to counter-attack was made by the 2nd Company, SIR 105 but the attack lacked liaison with the flanking companies, since the mine explosion led to the approaches being open to view by the British. Some of the survivors of the 2nd Company ran back in fear that German gas cylinders, earlier placed in the front line, had been ruptured. The British began to consolidate and by 12:30 a.m., had dug two communication trenches to connect the new positions to the old front line.
German artillery-fire gradually increased on the hill, after falling around it for some time and at around 11:10 p.m. four companies from IR 99, IR 143 and a machine-gun section attacked from the front and on both flanks. The attack was repulsed by British machine-gun fire but on the right, the 8th Company of SIR 105 and pioneers managed to bomb their way close to the craters and dug in under artillery-fire. Around 3:15 to 4:00 a.m. on 18 April, three German counter-attacks began which were repelled with many losses; bombing parties of 2nd Company, Pioneer Bataillon 15, got into a crater on the German left flank but were then annihilated. German high explosive and gas shells and machine-gun fire in enfilade from Zandvoorde and the Caterpillar, forced the British back to the crest, except on the right flank, where they were forced further back. German attacks continued all day on 18 April but at 6:00 p.m., a counter-attack by two British battalions retook the hill.”
The regimental war diary recalls a similar story:
“17th April – Headuarters of the 13th Infantry Brigade arrived and took over command of the sector.
R.W. Kent Regt and KOSB arrived and went into dugouts and part of front trench. 2 Companies of Bedfords withdrawn to amke room for the 13th Bde.
At 7pm precisely, 6 mines under Hill 60 exploded in 3 groups of 2 each. Heavy artillery bombardment commenced + Hill 60 rushed by British.
18th – Enemy counter attacked during early morning casualties were considerable.
General Officer Commanding 13th Bdge handed over immediately control of sector to Lt Col Griffith DSO, Bedford Regt, withdrew with staff to point about a mile in the rear.”
Another account was made by Ignatius Phayre, the pseudonym of William George Fitz-Gerald, Journalist and Novelist (most famously known for his interview with Hitler in 1938, “Holiday with Hitler”), where he writes the following stirring account for the Letchworth Citizen on 25th June 1915:
“THE BEDFORDS.
Writing of the Bedfordshire Regiment, in which are so many Letchworth and Baldock men, the same writer says:—
“We’ve a knack of sticking to what we gain,” says one of the Bedfords; and he might well be writing for all our grand county regiments.
The Bedfordshires were in South Africa when war broke out, but soon landed at Zeebrugge and joined the Seventh Division at Ypres, which was then holding off a force five times more numerous. In the first fortnight’s fighting the Second Battalion of the Bedfordshires had over six hundred casualties in the rank and file, and lost all but three of their officers! Then they held Hill 60, these Bedfords. “The biggest thing of the war,” one of them calls it.
Two companies of the Bedfords, under Major Allison, volunteered to stay in the trenches below Hill 60 and do the double with the West Kents when the hill “went up”—as it did with a hundred tons of dynamite packed in saps which it took weeks to drive. The experience was earth-rending; men were deaf at the end.
Then came the charge, a charge by night through the heavens torn with high-explosive shells; cascades of furious light, and noise that made deaf-mutes of some, deprived others of memory or sight, or gave them fits and concussions.
The Bedfords filled sandbags and dug themselves in, waiting for the counter-attack which always comes. Three thousand greycoats came at our men, and for a time nothing stopped them. Then the machine-guns ate great swathes through the plenty and glory of the golden harvest! I’ve seen a lot of slaughter since Mons, but nothing like it.”
Arthur Bolden was born in Takeley, Essex, on 9th December 1882. The son of James and Elizbaeth Ester (Vale) Takeley.
The Boldens were all from Takeley as early as 1810, both his parents were born as well as his wife Mabel in the village.
He married Mabel Pannell at Takeley on 22nd March 1913.
With war on the horizon but not officially declared, Arthur first enlisted into the Bedfordshire Regiment on 11th July 1914.
The extent of his wounds were severe enough for him to be invalided back to England following the fight for Hill 60 and a lengthy hospital stay being sent to hospital in London on 30th July 1915.
He was soon after discharged on 24th September 1915 as unfit due to his wounds.
He was later awarded his Silver War Badge 49940 on 24th January 1917.
After his discharge he returned home to Takeley to his wife and children.
He is shown there on the 1921 Census as a “Disabled Soldier”.
After his wife died in 1925, he remarried in 1928 to another Local Woman born in Takeley, Lucy Annie Mumford, on 29th May 1928.
“Arthur Bolden, a widower and Pensioner Soldier of Takeley aged 45, married Lucy Bowyer, a Widow aged 53 of Walthamstow.”
Despite his wounds he would live a long life and had the opportunity to wear the medals which he earned during the war.
Arthur died in Takeley during February 1953.
