Rifleman Arthur Rickwood Broderick

Date of Birth
Age at Death
Date of Death 1st July 1918
Service Number 44742
Military Service 3rd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles
Merton Address 33 Adela Avenue, West Barnes Lane, New Malden
Local Memorial St. Saviour’s Church, Raynes Park

Additional Information

Arthur Broderick was born in Fulham c1894 (see note below). In 1901 he was living in Gilstead Road, Fulham with father John Broderick (32) and mother Louisa (30), brothers John (7), Albert (4) Barnard (2) and sister Constance (1). His father was a house painter.

In 1911 the family still lived in Gilstead Road (No 3) and Arthur had four more siblings: Dorothy (8), Ada (6), John (2) and Lily (0). Arthur, now 16, was working as a telegraphist messenger. On September 27th 1914 he married Laura Jane Edwards, daughter of Thomas Edwards, at All Saints Church in Fulham. After his marriage Arthur probably lived at 33 Adela Avenue, West Barnes Lane, New Malden as this was his wife’s address at time of his death.

Arthur enlisted 1915.

Records show that Arthur died in the “Home” (AWB?) theatre of war on 1st July 1918. At the time of his death he was in the 3rd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. There is some confusion about the details. His service number was 44742 but, according to the WW1 Service and Award Rolls (where he is incorrectly named Arthur Kirkwood Broderick) he was previously a private in the 1/19 London Regt. His service no then was 3011.

The 3rd battalion Royal Irish Rifles was a training unit of the special reserve. Originally based in Belfast, it moved to Dublin in 1914, back to Belfast in 1916 and then to Larkhill in England (with the Irish Reserve Brigade) in April 1918. The Army register of soldiers’ effects show that Arthur Kirkwood Broderick, a private in the Royal Irish Rifles with the same service number, the same date of death and a widow named Laura, died in the military hospital in Belfast in July 1918. His death is also recorded under his correct name in the Ireland, Civil Registration of Deaths index.

No record has been found of the cause of death. He is buried Fulham Palace Road Cemetery (Fulham Old Cemetery). Memorial reference 8B.D.40. Inscription “Thy will, not mine Oh Lord”. He is also remembered on the war memorial at St. Saviour’s church in Raynes Park.

Note: There is conflicting information about the age of this combatant. For example his marriage record and gravestone give a birth date of c1890. Birth register and both censuses give it as c1894. His school record gives an actual date of 5 September 1894

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