Arthur Rowland's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Arthur Roland Eaton was born on 14 December 1896 and baptised at Christ Church on 7 February 1897, the son of Annie Eliza (née Bamford) and Joseph Hackney Eaton, a coachbuilder and grocer of 84 Bond Street, Macclesfield.
In 1901, four-year-old Arthur was living at the same address with his parents and baby brother Ernest. By 1911 the family had moved to 49 Newton Street and included three more children: Denis (8), Winifred (6) and John (1). By 1914 the family had moved again, to 1 West Bond Street, Macclesfield.
Arthur was educated at Christ Church School and on leaving school was employed as a clerk in a shipping office in Manchester.
WW1 SERVICE
Arthur joined the local 7th Cheshire Regiment soon after war broke out, initially being allocated service number 2098. He later received service number 15744 and this was finally changed to 244344 when Army units were renumbered in late 1916 and early 1917.
Along with over 100 local men of the 7th Cheshire (Territorial) Regiment, Arthur volunteered to transfer to the 5th Cheshire Regiment and was drafted overseas on 14 February 1915.
Arthur's death was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 7 December 1917:
SERGEANT EATON KILLED
Yesterday Mr and Mrs Joseph Eaton, Bond Street, Macclesfield, received the distressing news that their son, Sergt Arthur Roland Eaton, Cheshire Regt, was killed by shell-fire in France on the night of November 27th. Captain A H Joliffe, commanding the company, wrote: "Your son was so severely wounded that he only lived a few hours after being hit. He was one of my most trusted and valued NCOs, whose influence with the men was the best, and he always carried out his duties cheerfully and efficiently. His death leaves a gap that will indeed be hard to fill."
Sergt Eaton was twenty years of age and joined the 7th Cheshires shortly after war broke out. He was one of the 100 local men who voluntarily transferred to another battalion for active service in France, where he had been for nearly three years. The deceased was educated at Christ Church School and attended the Church, and in civil life was employed as a clerk in a shipping office in Manchester. Sergeant Eaton had been previously wounded and was home on leave in July.
His death was also reported in the Macclesfield Advertiser on 14 December 1917:
SERGEANT A R EATON
Yesterday week Mr and Mrs J Eaton, Bond Street, Macclesfield, were notified that their son, Sergeant Arthur Rowland Eaton, was killed by shellfire on the 27th November... The deceased joined the local Territorials in the early days of the war, being then only 17 years of age. After training at Bedford, he voluntarily transferred to another battalion for active service in France, where he soon gained promotion to non-commissioned rank, eventually being made sergeant...
COMMEMORATION
Sgt Arthur Eaton is buried in Grave Ref. III. A. 12. of the Hermies Hill British Cemetery, France. His mother asked for the inscription "HIS MEMORY IS SWEETNESS BEYOND EXPRESSION HIS ABSENCE GREAT SORROW" to be added to his headstone.
In Macclesfield, Sgt Arthur Eaton is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall, St Michael’s Church, Macclesfield Sunday School, Christ Church and Christ Church School war memorials.
SOURCES
GRO Index: Births
England and Wales Census: 1901, 1911
Medal Index Card (Ancestry)
Medal Rolls (Ancestry)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Macclesfield Times: 7 December 1917
Macclesfield Advertiser: 14 December 1917
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.