An EARE's Grave on the Battlefield

Sapper Frost's Grave

Monday 5th July: Above is an illustration of the grave of an East Anglian Royal Engineer in France. The man who made the sketch is Sapper A. J. Moody. The grave is that of Sapper A. A. Frost of 1st Field Company, EARE. He was killed in action on June 25th. Born at Luton, he was a popular secretary of the Glendale Football Club, Luton and was well-known throughout the county. He enlisted in the Engineers last October and was drafted out to the Front about Easter.

In the last letter his father received he stated that he was having a good time away from the line, as the Company were then on rest, and he did not think he should be long before he was home again – about August or September. “We’ve been attached” he wrote “to the 6th Infantry Brigade and 4th Guards Brigade and they gave us a very good name. They consider us the equal to any Regular REs. I’ve been on both sides of the Bedfords but not with them. You can trust me to keep all right and keep out of danger as much as possible. I’m doing everything out here just as if I was at my own work – no worry whatever and always smiling”.

Shortly after the receipt of this letter two of the comrades of Sapper Frost wrote home to their relatives, informing that that he had been killed in action and enquiries made at the War Office confirmed this news, while later a letter from Captain G. C. Walker was received, intimating that the sad affair happened about three o’clock in the afternoon of Friday, June 25th, when the enemy artillery, which had been fairly active all day, suddenly lengthened out to the place where several of the EARE sappers were standing. One unlucky shell dropped right in the middle of them, killing Sapper Frost instantly and wounding a few others. He was got out and was buried next day by the Chaplain, who was attended by the remainder of his Section.

“May I, on behalf of the officers, NCO’s and men of this Company, express my deep sympathy with you in your bereavement” writes Captain Walker “Your son, although he had not been with us from the first, had earned for himself the praise of his Section Officer and of his NCOs whilst among his comrades he was a great favourite and he was referred to as “One of the Best”. Although his loss will naturally be a source of great trouble to you, there is consolation in knowing that he died quite painlessly, and that he gave his life while in the service of his country. A more noble end no man can wish”(1).

Sapper A Frost

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 20th August 1915

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(1) Sapper Arthur Alick Frost’s grave is still at Windy Corner, Cuinchy, in the Guards’ Cemetery.