Sergeant Arthur Varney

Army Number: 32110

Battalion : 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys) Regiment.

Awards : M.M. (Military Medal)

Born at South Wigston Leicestershire. Son of Arthur and Zipporah Varney, of 4, Field Row, Belper, Derbyshire. Lived at Belper and enlisted at Belper 7th November 1915. He was also wounded on 1st July 1916 during the first day of the Battle of the Somme when the battalion attacked the Leipzig Salient, Somme, France.

He was awarded the Military Medal London Gazette date 21st October 1918 ”For gallantry and devotion to duty when in an attack at St. Sisto Ridge, Italy, 15th June 1918″.

He was killed in action by shellfire whilst moving onto the trenches at Mount St. Martin, near St, Quentin, France. 4th October 1918, age 20.

EXTRACTS FROM THE BELPER NEWS 1918
August 2nd 1918 The War. Another M.M. for Belper Man.

Sergeant Arthur Varney, Sherwoods, of Field Row, Belper, who is only 20 years of age, was awarded the Military Medal on June 15th for Gallantry in action in Italy during the last push against the Austrians.
Varney, who was recently promoted to Sergeant, joined up some 3 years ago when working at Messrs. Brettles and after training proceeded to France where he’d experienced some heavy fighting, particularly in the Somme area. He had been most fortunate in coming out of every ordeal unscathed and in never having been in hospital. He was transferred to Italy some nine months ago and has not been able to obtain leave.
His recent letters home have referred to his constant good luck in escaping death and wounds while he also remarks on the Italian hot weather. Other letters received in the town from his comrades state that Varney was decorated with the M.M. on the field.

October 18th 1918.
Sergeant Arthur Varney, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Varney, Field Row, Belper is reported by two of his comrades to have been killed by a shell and laid to rest in a military cemetery.

No official intimation has been received, though the news arrived from V. Oldknow of Belper and T. Martin from Heage. The deceased, who was just over 20 years of age had won the M.M. and obtained his promotion on the field. He joined Kitchener’s Army in 1914 and was drafted to France with the Sherwoods, taking part in the first severe fighting on
the Somme.

After 2 years in France, he was transferred to Italy and was home on leave some nine weeks ago when he returned to France where he met his death. Sergeant Varney was a former employee of Messrs. Brettles.

November 1st 1918.
We recently referred to the death of Sgt. Arthur Varney, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Varney of Field Row Belper, whose death was reported by two comrades, one of Heage and the other of Belper. A further letter to the deceased’s mother from Lieut. O.R. Orchard dated Oct.16th confirms their statement that Sgt. Varney fell in action on Oct.5th.

The deceased joined up voluntarily in 1915 at the age of 17, trained in Kitchener’s Army at Brockton and crossed to France in 1916, taking part in the severe fighting on the Somme. Being next drafted to Italy, he fought in several actions on the Piave for 8 months.

He came home on leave spending August Bank Holiday with his parents after which he was again drafted to France and was killed by a shell as stated. The deceased was in his 21st year and had been employed at Messrs. Brettles previous to his enlistment.

He won the M.M. in June when in Italy, fighting against the Austrians, the ribbon being presented to him by his Commanding Officer.

Many thanks to Kevin Varney for the above pictures and details.

Buried: Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gouy, France. Plot 3. Row A. Grave 5.

Sergeant Arthur Varney is also commemorated on the following local memorials:-
Belper War Memorial, Belper, Derbyshire.