Arthur Clifford Guy was born in 1892 in Bradford the son of John Anthony Guy and Eleanor, nee Watson. born 1863 in Bradford. John and Eleanor married in Bradford in 1888. In 1891 John and Eleanor were living in Great Horton but By 1901 John and Eleanor were living at 7 Smithfield Place, Moorside Road, Eccleshill. John was a wool top and yarn manufacturer and the family had one servant. Clifford was their only child. He was educated at Boothams College and on the Continent and in 1911 at 18 years of age he was working at his father’s business. His father was a wool merchant manufacturer and a Councillor. Clifford enlisted on the 23rd of November 1915 as Private 12532 in the Yeomanry Brigade but later

transferred to the 8th Battalion of the Kings Royal Rifle Brigade. At the time of his enlistment he was 23 years and 17 days old, 5 foot 7 inches in height with a chest measurement of 341/2 inches. He was posted home on the 5th May 1916 before embarking for France and served for 12 months as second in command of the machine gun section. During this time he took part in the capture of Delville Wood in August 1916. The third Battle of the Scarpe during the Arras offensive took place on the 3rd of May. Jeremy Banning, a freelance military historian writes:

“The confusion caused by the darkness; the speed with which the German artillery opened fire; the manner in which it concentrated upon the British infantry, almost neglecting the artillery; the intensity of its fire, the heaviest that many an experienced soldier had ever witnessed, seemingly unchecked by British counter-battery fire and lasting almost without slackening for fifteen hours; the readiness with which the German infantry yielded to the first assault and the energy of its counter-attack; and, it must be added, the bewilderment of the British infantry on finding itself in the open and its inability to withstand any resolute counter- attack.”

The attack was called off the following day after incurring heavy casualties. Clifford was originally reported missing, then later as killed in action and was one of four casualties who died on this day and whose names are recorded on the War Memorial in St Luke’s Church, Eccleshill. He was 25 years of age. He is remembered on the Arras Memorial where the names of 35,492 officers and men who fell in the Battles of Arras from the Spring of 1916 until 7th of August 1918 and have no known grave. His effects were left to his father John Anthony who received £6.2.7d on the 26th of April 1918 and a War Gratuity of £6.0.0d on the 23rd of October 1919.

Researched and written by Jean Britteon, to whom many thanks