Pte 114307 Arthur Stoneley

• Age: 40
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• Died Friday 30th May 1919
• Commemorated at: Archangel Allied Memorial

Arthur Stoneley was the second oldest of 7 children born to William Stoneley, a packing case maker and repairer, and his wife Maria nee Taylor. William and Maria actually had 15 children but only seven survived infancy. They had a son, Arthur, born 5^th February 1877 and baptised at Manchester Cathedral on 23^rd December 1877 and another, also named Arthur, born 18^th February 1879 and baptised at Manchester Cathedral on 13^th April 1879. The probable explanation is that their first son died in infancy (an Arthur Stoneley died in 1878) and as often happened they gave the same name to their next son.

In 1881 the family lived at 2 Bright Street, Manchester; in 1891 at 120 Reather Street, Manchester; and in 1901 at 87 Chapman Street, Manchester, when Arthur, aged 22 years, is shown as a sporting journalist and married. In fact, Arthur married Ada Fletcher in 1900 but Ada is not shown in the Census Returns for 1901.

Between 1900 and 1911, Arthur and Ada had five children – Leslie Payne Stoneley, b.1902; Herbert, b. 1903; Teresa Myra, b. 18.07.1904 when her parents lived at 80 Briscoe Lane, Collyhurst; Lilian Bessie, b. 1906 in Manchester; and Marjorie Ethel, born 1908 in Nottinghamshire.

In 1911 the family lives at 48 Stafford Street, Birmingham when Arthur is shown as a Press Agency telephone operator, while Ada is said to be a tobacconist and newsagent in her own business.

Ada Stoneley died in Aston, Birmingham in 1914, leaving Arthur with five young children. His widowed mother, Maria, lives at 50 Nicholson Street, Rochdale Road, Manchester with her daughter, Ada, and her youngest son Herbert.

Arthur’s service record has not survived but we know he enlisted in Birmingham and died in Russia on 30^th May 1919. The following extract from the Regimental History gives a probable indication as to how he died (probably of wounds):

The 17th King's in Russia. October 1918 to September 1919

The final action for the King's Regiment was in May 1919 when"C" Company were on duty with the Dvina River Force. They defended Malaya-Bereznik from strong enemy attacks, capturing 42 of the enemy, losing one other rank and four wounded.  

Arthur is buried in Chequevo Cemetery, Russia and is commemorated on the Archangel Memorial to the Missing.

During both world wars, Archangel was one of the ports through which the Allies assisted Russia with supplies and munitions. The cemetery was begun immediately after the occupation of the town in August 1918 by the Allied force sent to support the Soviet Russian Government against potential threat from German occupied Finland and other local sources. It was used by No.85 General Hospital, No.53 Stationary Hospital, No.82 Casualty Clearing Station, HM Hospital Ship 'Kalyan' and other Allied hospitals. 

ARCHANGEL ALLIED CEMETERY contains 224 burials and commemorations of the First World War, including special memorials to 140 officers and men with known burials in cemeteries elsewhere in northern Russia. Two of the burials are unidentified. The cemetery also contains 7 Second World War burials. The ARCHANGEL MEMORIAL, which consists of panels fixed into the east wall of the cemetery, commemorates 219 British officers and men who died during the north Russian campaign and whose graves are not known.

The Register of Soldiers Effects shows that monies due to Arthur were sent to his mother, Maria; his children, Herbert and Myra; and his brother, Herbert. No doubt Maria had taken over the care of Arthur’s children.

He now rests at  Chequevo Cemetery, Russia and is commemorated on the Archangel Memorial to the Missing.

Arthur’s youngest brother, Herbert, enlisted as Private 17695 in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 30^th March 1916, aged 19 years 4 months, giving his occupation as clerk, his next of kin as his mother, Maria, and his (and presumably Maria’s) address as 127 Fentham Road, Birchfields, Birmingham. He saw service in France and was wounded on at least one occasion (November 1916), before being demobilised on 28^th May 1919.

We currently have no further information on Arthur Stoneley, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.