Housden, AT

Corporal Arthur Thomas Housden

Born on September 22nd 1889, Arthur was the third of nine children born to James Housden and his wife, Mary. He joined Dulwich in January 1904, joining his elder brother, Edwin, who was already at the College; they would later also be joined by their younger brother, Charles. Arthur’s time at Dulwich lasted for nearly three years until he left at Christmas 1906. He went on to take up surveying, passing the exams for to become a Professional Associate of the Surveyors Institute, and subsequently running a successful business based around Beckenham and Bromley. He was a keen musician, becoming an Associate of the Royal College of Organists, and was also a fixture in the team at Forest Hill Hockey Club.
Upon the outbreak of war in 1914 Arthur at first joined the Beckenham Volunteers, and as a result was not called up for full service until September 1916. Upon being called up he was assigned to the Artists Rifles and went over to the continent for the first time with his new regiment a month later. For several months he and his unit were tasked with guard duty at British Headquarters before, in September 1917, being sent to the front at Arras and later transferred to the Ypres Salient. On October 30th he was commanding a Lewis Gun section during an attack on a German position when they came under heavy fire, resulting in the loss not only of Arthur, but also of seven of the eight men under his command.