Sergeant Arthur George Boyce
2nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry, 7609
Killed in action
Date of Birth: 5th of January 1897
Place of Birth: 20 High Street, Finchley, London
Date of Death: 6th November 1917
Buried: Remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel 10 - 18 - 26 - 28, and Sidmouth War Memorial WMR25409
Awarded the 1914 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
Arthur George Boyce was born in the 1st quarter of 1897 at Barnet, Middlesex.
In 1901, Arthur George Boyce and his family were living at Devonshire, Lambert Road, Finchley, Barnet, Middlesex. His father was Arthur John Boyce, a watchmaker, who was born in Teignmouth, 1870. His mother was Louisa Marie Boyce nee Herbert, born in London, 1875.
| Arthur George Boyce and his siblings | |
| Arthur George Boyce 1897 | Marjorie Annie Boyce 1898 |
| Leslie Herbert Boyce 1900 | Ronald Lines Boyce 1903 |
| Gordon Beresford Boyce 1904 | Leicester John Boyce 1906 |
| Geoffrey Frank Boyce 1912 | Betty Louise Boyce 1914 |
| Francis Reginald Boyce 1917 | |
In 1911, Arthur George Boyce and his family were living at Brimley House, Woodhouse Road, North Finchley, Middlesex. Also, boarding with the family, was Frank Rowland Buharks, a Shop Assistant.
On the 12th of June 1913, Arthur George Boyce probably emigrated to Canada, Montreal.
2nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment)
cap badge
Arthur George Boyce used the name George Arthur when he enlisted in the Canadian Army on the 22nd of September 1914.
Arthur's war record shows that he had influenza on the 4th of March 1915 and that he was wounded on the 25th of April 1915.
Arthur disembarked to England on the 5th of May 1915 and was in the Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich on the 22nd of May 1915.
The Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich
Arthur returned to duty 28th of June 1915.
Arthur was appointed Lance Corporal on the 14th of May 1916.
On the 3rd of June 1916, Arthur George Boyce married Edith Minnie Bodimeade at Edmonton, Middlesex.
Arthur was seconded to the Pay Office in London on the 18th of August 1916.
Arthur was granted a good conduct badge on the 24th of April 1917.
Reverted to the permanent grade of private by O.C. C.T.S. Bexhill for disobeying an order on the 16th of August 1917.
Arthur was drafted to Seaford on the 6th of September 1917, O.C. 6th Canadian Reserves Battalion.
Fred Varley Gas Chamber at Seaford CWM 19710261-0772 Beaverbrook Collection of War Art ©Canadian War Museum
The introduction of gas warfare in 1915 meant that soldiers of all sides would have to learn to survive this new weapon. The hills near Seaford played host to a training gas chamber for just this purpose. The Canadian Army was stationed at Seaford during WW1.
Arthur arrived at the C.B.D. France on the 6th of September 1917.
He left for the 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Infantry on the 22nd of September 1917.
Sergeant Arthur George Boyce was killed in action during the Battle of Passchendaele on the 6th of November 1917. George was a Private, Sergeant, and Lance Corporal in the 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force. Residence - Canada.
Battle of Passchendaele, also called Third Battle of Ypres, (July the 31st until the 6th of November, 1917), a World War I battle that served as a vivid symbol of the mud, madness, and senseless slaughter of the Western Front.
Leicester John Boyce and Francis Reginald Boyce were also killed in action during WW2.
