Arthur Janes was born in Edlesborough near Leighton Buzzard in Buckinghamshire in the Spring of 1897. He was born to George Janes and Lucy Emmerton He was raised by relations; initially he lived with his Uncle and Aunt, Edward Fountain and Sarah Emmerton; then he lived with his cousin Philip Fountain and his wife and Charlotte Osborne.

In 1901 four-year-old Arthur lived in Eaton Bray, Buckinghamshire and his family worked on the land as ‘Agricultural Labourers. However, when his cousin Philip married Charlotte Osborne in 1903, the six year old Arthur moved to live with them at No.2 Doolittle in Apsley End. Philip worked for John Dickinson & Co. Limited in Apsley Mills, as did Arthur when he turned thirteen. He and Philip worked in the Bookbinding department, Arthur as a ‘Leather Cutter’ and Philip as a ‘Book Fordwarder’[sic], which may have been the packing and despatching of the finished products.

On the outbreak of war Arthur was too young to enlist aged seventeen, but he joined the Colours immediately after his eighteenth birthday in June 1915. He attested at Bedford and joined the 8th (Service) battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. The 8th Battalion was attached to the veteran 6th Division and came under the orders of the 16th Brigade which comprised of; 8th Battalion, the Bedfordshire Regiment, 1st Battalion, the Buffs, 1st Battalion, the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry and 2nd Battalion the York and Lancaster Regiment.

Arthur was sent to the vast ‘New Army’ training area in Woking where the 8th Bedfords had been preparing since December 1915. His comrades were mobilised and went to France at the end of August 1915 and moved to the trenches around Ypres on the Yser Canal. Arthur completed his training and followed them in 1916.

The records available do not state exactly when he went to France, but it may have been as late as May 1916. The war diary recorded: ‘13 May 1916 Camp E, Wood A30. - Drill and training by Coys. - Reinforcements 1 off and 122 O.R. joined today.’

He saw action in the trenches around Ypres until moving to Thiepval near Béthune on the Somme in August. By mid-September he was near Longueval as the 8th Battalion prepared for an assault on High Wood where the Germans were heavily entrenched. This was the Battle of Flers-Courcelette where a new British invention was deployed on a battlefield for the first time in history – the Tank.

On the 15th September, the attack began and following fierce fighting throughout the day the assault had failed and the Battalion was relieved. However, the casualties incurred were significant due to the heavy machine gun enfilade from the enemy positions. Arthur was listed missing ‘presumed killed’ at the end of this action.

Arthur’s death was subsequently confirmed as killed in action on Friday, 15th September 1916.

He was commemorated on the John Dickinson & Co. Limited war Memorial in Apsley and in St Mary’s church in the village.

Arthur is Remembered with Honour on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France, Pier and Face 2 C.

He was only 19 years old when he died.

Arthur was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.