A. S. Manning
Service no. 60740
Wheeler, Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery
Born in Lambeth
Killed in action in Egypt on 23 December 1915, aged about 25
Remembered at Kut War Cemetery, to the north of Baghdad, Iraq
CWGC: The entry for A. S. Manning gives 25 December 1915 as date of death and states that he was of Indian nationality, a Gunner with the Madras Artillery Volunteers, 2nd (Madras) Group Garrison Artillery (The Duke’s Own).
Arthur Stanley Manning was a career soldier. He enlisted in the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery on 9 December 1909 at 88 New Kent Road, having previously worked as a printer’s engineer and served an apprenticeship. At the time of enlistment Manning was 19, 5 feet 7½ inches tall and weighed just over 9¾ stone. His chest measurement was 36 inches. His eyes were blue and his hair was brown.
Manning’s war career was short: he was killed in action on 25 December 1915 at Kut-al-Amarah in the Persian Gulf. He had served a total of 6 years and 15 days.
However, his work as a battery wheeler was solid. At the time he renewed his commitment to the army on 11 December 1914, he had gained two good conduct badges and his character was described as “very good.” After Manning died his sister, Mrs. May Adelaide Parsons, who lived at 9 Meadow Road, received a registered letter from the Records office at Dover enclosing a letter from the Viceroy of India: “I am […] to forward the enclosed letter from his Excellency the Viceroy […] of transmission to the next-of-kin of the late No. 60740 Bombardier Manning RGA with the Volunteer Battery in Mesopotamia, who was killed in action on 25 December 1915.” Unfortunately, a copy of the Viceroy’s letter is not in the file.
On 1 March 1916 the War Office requested a copy of Manning’s Record of Service “showing the Indian period” and later Lieutenant E. F. Durand, on behalf of the adjutant General of India, sent a letter of condolence to May.
Manning was one of at least six children of James L. B. Manning, a machine operator born in Holborn, and Mary Manning, born in Lambeth.
Information from the 1901 census
Arthur Manning was 10 and living with his family at 9 Meadow Road. His father, James L. B. Manning, 46, was a “machine ruler” (machine operator) born in Holborn. His mother, Mary A. Manning, 45, was born in Lambeth. Their children at the time were:
Sidney J. Manning, 22, was a printer
Louise Elizabeth Manning, 20, a seamstress
Annie R. Manning, 18, was a pager for a bookbinder
George B. Manning, 13
Arthur S. Manning, 10,
May A. Manning, 4
All the children apart from the youngest two were born in Bermondsey.
