Burgh ParvaMelton Constable

Melton Constable – St. Mary’s (Burgh Parva) Old Church : Grave of Arthur Charles Gibson

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This is the war grave of Arthur Charles Gibson who is buried at St. Mary’s church in Burgh Parva, located near to Melton Constable. I’ve never seen a war grave with the words “buried elsewhere in this churchyard” on it, but in this case it’s because Arthur wasn’t listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list, but in 2015 he was added to the United Kingdom Book of Remembrance.

Arthur’s record at the 1911 census when he lived on Gordon Road in Melton Constable. He lived with Walter Stangroom’s family, with Walter being his brother-in-law, and he worked as a telegraph operator. They also lived with Arthur’s mother, Ellen Gibson, who had been widowed. His military records note that he signed up voluntarily on 3 January 1912, but he was discharged on 19 July 1916 due to ill health. I’m not sure if he was injured abroad, or whether he was injured whilst working at the Melton Constable railway works, which was an important industry for the war effort. It seems unlikely to me that he was serving abroad, as otherwise he would have been more likely to have been listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list. His military number was 1586 and he was a Private in the Norfolk Regiment, dying in London on 23 February 1917 at the age of 21, with his death certificate noting he died of empyema. He doesn’t seem to have a headstone of his own from the time, with his stone being added here in 2015.