Medal Index Card
Photo: Morton & Eden
Newcastle Journal Thursday 11/05/1944
Arthur Alexander Diericx was a naval architect, and was the eldest boy of six children in 1881 residing at Royal Crescent Road in Southampton, his father Antonio was an Interpreter at the Royal Music School. In July 1884, Arthur Alexander Diericx was a crew member of a Four Oared Galley Match, he was the no 3. Arthur also was a member of the Royal Pier Amateur Sailing and Rowing Club which was recently formed at Cuckoo Lane, with an addition of a new Clubroom at Mr Stevens boatyard. Arthur was also in the Pleasure pair-Oared Match with coxswain partnered with a C. A Wells and in the double sculling Match where they came third.
On the 1st April 1886, Arthur attended a Smoking Concert at the Beehive Hotel, for a Mr T. Murray an engineer with the Royal Mail Company, on the occasion of his return from a voyage.
On the 25th May 1888, Arthur was promoted to head draughtsman of the shipbuilding department at Messrs, Oswald, Mordaunt, and Co at Woolston Works. His predecessor, Mr C. T. Weston had a presentation at the Hotel de la Provindence in Laurence Road, to bid him farewell as he takes up his new post in Barrow- in-Furness. Arthur presented Mr Weston with a complete set of photographic camera, with necessary implements of the newest designs and workmanship, and some valuable works on naval architecture, as well as testifying to his high ability and very obliging disposition.
Source : Hampshire Advertiser Saturday, 02/06/1888.
In 1901, Arthur Henry was residing at 1 Mayfield Terrace, Gosforth with his two brothers and his parents. Arthur Henry Eason Diericx was educated at Rutherford College and was then employed at Sir Armstrong Whitworth Elswick factory at Newcastle-upon-Tyne as a naval draughtsman. He served his apprenticeship there.
Arthur [senior], was working at the Armstrong Elswick works as a draughtsman earning between £3 5s to £3 10s a week.
In June 1908, Arthur Alexander Dieriex, was summoned to the Moot Hall Police Court, Newcastle on a charge of persistent cruelty to his wife Emma. She had asked for a separation order and Maintenance. Mr Shaw who was representing Emma said :-The parties lived at Alwinton Terrace, Gosforth, and had been married 19 years . There were three children of the marriage , the eldest being eighteen years of age. For some time, the husband, who was a draughtsman at Elswick, had been intemperate in his habits, and had frequently assaulted his wife. He had not given her sufficient money to support the family. The wife had an income of some £2 per week. But this was invested in a brewery, and might be considered a fluctuating investment. Emma Diecirx said;Her married life (since 1890) had been unhappy. On Tuesday last she had words with her husband, and he struck her. About two months ago he asked her for money for drink. She refused him, and struck her on the face On a date soon after Christmas he also assaulted her, by striking her over the head. He also threatened to kill her, and in consequence of his threats she had compelled to close the house. Her husband had not given her money regularly, nor had he given sufficient to keep the house.
The son Arthur Henry Eason Diericx gave corroborative evidence. There was no appearance for the defendant, but a letter was put in front from him, submitting to an order. The Bench made the order, the defendant to pay his wife £1 a week for maintenance.
Source : Evening ChronicleSaturday 20/06/1908.
Arthur Henry Eason Diericx by 1911 had moved to 67 Alwinton Terrace at Gosforth with his younger brother Walter and his mother Emma, her husband Arthur was away in 1911 as a boarder at 26 Ladysmith Avenue, East Ham, at Henry and Elizabeth Ann Warren residence.
Arthur Henry was also in the Territorial Force from the 31st March 1908 to the 1st April 1910 in the 5th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, where he qualified as a 1st Class Signaller. Then from the 2nd April 1910 to the 1st April 1914, he also is a Bombardier 1st Class on the 3rd Battery staff of the 1st Volunteer Northumbrian Brigade Royal Field Artillery. On the 1st April 1914, he enlisted for four years at Newcastle-upon-Tyne into the Northumberland Hussars Yeomanry as a private, service number 721, 5 feet 8 and a half inches tall, aged 24 years and 5 months. He was in 'A' Squadron. His residence address was given as 67 Alwinton Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
In 1794, King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was Prime Minister of Great Britain and, across the Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its King and possessed a revolutionary army numbering half a million men. The Prime Minister proposed that the Counties form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry that could be called upon by the King to defend the country against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant to subdue any civil disorder within the country.
However, it was not until 1819 that The Newcastle Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry was raised. Shortly afterwards, in 1831, the regiment was used against its own countrymen, putting down the miners' strikes of that year. In 1849 an Army Riding School was established in Northumberland Road for the use of the regiment In 1876, the regiment was renamed the Northumberland (Hussars) Yeomanry Cavalry.
On the 5th August 1914, he is embodied for service abroad. In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw. 7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on the 4th August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Arthur volunteered. Therefore, TF units were split in August and September 1914 into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. Later, a 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments.
However, an order on the 15th August gave notice of an imminent move from billets to a camp then to be selected, at about which time the four peacetime squadrons were reduced to three, with 'A' squadron then based at Gosforth Park, 'B' Squadron at Castle Eden, and 'C'squadron at Bedlington. On the 30th August 1914, the regiment was accepted for service with the BEF, and on the 11th September it moved to Lyndhurst, Hampshire in readiness for embarkation.
Arthur is in the 1st Line, and embarks at Southampton on the 4th October 1914, disembarking at Zeebrugge the following day. The 1st Line regiment was mobilised in August 1914, at the Army Riding School in Newcastle upon Tyne, and attached to the Yorkshire Mounted Brigade. In September, it joined the 7th Infantry Division at Lyndhurst. On the 6th October it landed at Zeebrugge with the division. In April 1915, the regiment was split up. Regimental Headquarters and 'A' Squadron remained with the 7th Division. 'B' Squadron joined the 1st Infantry Division and 'C' Squadron joined the 8th Infantry Division.
The First Line acted as Divisional Cavalry for the 7th Division. As such, it took part in the First Battle of Ypres, which was such a desperate affair that there were occasions when the regiment acted as dismounted infantry and occupied trenches. During this battle, the Hussars undertook reconnaissance patrols in advance of the infantry. The first casualties were sustained on the 17th October 1914. After the battle, the regiment spent a fortnight at Meteren, which time appears to have been a period devoted to prodigious eating and sleeping. Of course, from the beginning of November 1914 the nature of warfare on the Western Front changed to that of trench warfare. To the end of the year, the Hussars appear to have been held in general reserve, as a result of which the regiment was used for all manner of duties, including trench building and maintenance. Apart from regular patrolling and supplying such as bridge guards, training continued and numerous changes of billet were recorded. The regiment was still in the Ypres area at the end of 1914. Arthur is promoted to Acting Corporal on the 17th March 1915 at Merville. Then appointed Acting Lance Sergeant on the 1st November 1915. He spent over 14 months in the field. Arthur returns to the UK about the 2nd April 1916. He is discharged from the Northumberland Hussars on the 27th July 1916 for a Temporary appointment commission in the Royal Engineers. He was appointed temporary 2nd Lieutenant in the Signal Service, Royal Engineers. Gazetted on the 28th July 1916. He applied for his commission on the 9th December 1915, with references from the Headmaster of Rutherford College and the Vicar of all Saints church in Gosforth. His recommendation was approved by the Brigadier General {then Colonel R H H Boys} who was commander of the Signal Service Training Centre. On the 12th December he had his medical exam. At Dunstable Signal Depot, Arthur was officially discharged from the Northumberland Fusiliers at Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, 27th July 1916. Trade was described as a Naval Architect still residing at 67 Alwinton Terrace. He served 2 years 119 days in the Northumberland Hussars. Between the 11th April 1916 and 28th April 1916, Arthur is at Chatham. He then is barracked in Hut B at Dunstable Signal Depot which was the Royal Engineer Army Signalling. School. He was based at 9 Corps, signal section for the duration of the War. Arthur relinquished his rank of Lieutenant on the same day he was discharged 11th April 1919. His permanent address was stated as 41 Whitefield Terrace, Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Arthur disembarked at Folkestone on the 10th April 1919.
He married a Elizabeth 'Tissie' [nee Maughan], in September 1918, [born 20th November 1894, died 19th May 1962. She was the daughter of William Maughan, born 1871 died 14th August 1935 and Mary Isabela {nee English}, born 1874 died 29th June 1940].
In 1920, they were residing at 48 Whitefield Terrace, Walker, by 1921 they were residing at 320 Simonside Terrace, Heaton, but had moved to 103 Appletree Gardens, Walkerville by 1930. They had a child called Elizabeth [Betty], born 18th September 1919 who was a student teacher in 1939, she married Lieutenant William Edward Hay, R.A.M.C., [son of Mr and Mrs Edward Hay, of Laburnun Avenue, Wallsend], at St Gabriel's Church, Heaton on the 10th May 1944. She went on to teach at Heaton Secondary School. She died on the 20th November 2004.
In 1939 they were residing at 103 Appleton Gardens, Newcastle-upon-Tyne], he was a press journalist.
Arthur Henry Eason Diericx, died on the 19th December 1965, and was residing then at 3 Hawthorn Villas, The Green, Wallsend. He left his only daughter the amount of £8794, with William Smailes Robson in his will dated the 8th February 1966.
His medals were sold in November 2018 at an auction by Morton & Eden.
1914 'Mons' Trio awarded to Lieutenant Albert Henry Eason Diericx, Royal Engineers, commissioned from the ranks of the Northumberland Hussars in late July 1916, and another to comprising: 1914 Star (721 Pte. A. H. E. Diericx. North’d Yeo.), official correction to one letter of surname; British War Medal (Lieut. A. H. E. Diericx.) and Victory Medal (this erased); Group swing-mounted on card for display, extremely fine, with some lustre.
Arthur Henry Eason Diericx is remembered in Newcastle on NUT126
