Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Wells, a framework knitter of stockings, born 1855 in Whetstone, Leicestershire and his wife Sarah Jane Wells (nee Copson, married in the 2nd quarter of 1877 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district), a hosiery trade seamer, born 1853 in Whetstone. Arthur Amos was born on the 12th July 1877 in Whetstone, his siblings were, Jervis, born 1878 and Maria, born 1880, both his siblings were born in Whetstone, in April 1881 the family home was in Whetstone. In the 4th quarter of 1887 in the Blaby Leicestershire district, Arthur’s mother died, aged 34. In April 1891 Arthur was employed as a shoe maker and was residing in the family home at Paradise Row, Lutterworth Road, Blaby, Leicestershire, together with his father, a green grocer, his step mother Mary Jane Wells (formerly Hunt, married in the 4th quarter of 1888 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district), born 1854 in Blaby and his siblings, Jervis, a schoolboy, Maria, a schoolgirl Reuben, a schoolboy, born 1884 and John, a schoolboy, born 27th May 1885, the latter two siblings were born in Whetstone and his half blood sibling, Hannah Norman, born 1890 in Blaby, also residing in the family home were Arthur’s step siblings, Alfred Hunt, an errand boy, born 1879 and Mary Elizabeth Hunt, a schoolgirl, born 1882, the latter two step siblings were born in Whetstone. In March 1901 Arthur was employed as a boot maker and was residing in the family home at Paradise Row, Lutterworth Road, Blaby, together with his father, a greengrocer, his step mother and step sibling, Mary Hunt, a Griswold stocking knitter, his siblings, Reuben, a greengrocer’s assistant and John, a greengrocer’s assistant and his half blood siblings, Hannah, Horace, born 30th May 1892 and Daniel, born 1895, the latter two half blood siblings were born in Blaby. In April 1911 Arthur was employed as a shoe trade riveter and was residing in the family home in West Street, Enderby, together with his wife, Ethel Mary Wells (nee Wood, married on the 4th April 1904 in St. John the Baptist Church, Enderby, Leicestershire), born 25th October 1879 in Quorndon, Leicestershire and their son, John William, born 10th June 1907 in Enderby. In 1939 Arthur’s wife was residing in the family home at 16, West Street, Enderby, together with her husband James Pick, a retired artificial stone worker, born 6th December 1870.
Arthur attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War, with the Colours and in the Army Reserve.) on the 6th December 1915 in Enderby. His medical examination took place on the 24th August 1916 at Glen Parva, where it was recorded that his birthplace was Whetstone, Leicestershire, his declared age was 38 years and 150 days, his trade or calling was shoe maker and he was 5 foot ¼ inch in height, weighed 116 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 34 and 36 inches. His physical development was described as good. He gave his religion as Church of England. After attestation on the 6/12/15 in Enderby he was transferred to the Army Reserve on the 6/12/15. Mobilized on the 24/8/16. Posted to the Leicestershire Regiment Depot as Private, service number 32161 on the 24/8/16. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 24/8/16. Posted to Patrington Camp on the 29/8/16. Joined the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment at Patrington Camp on the 30/8/16. Embarked from Folkestone to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 22/12/16. Disembarked Boulogne on the 22/12/16. Posted to 23rd Infantry Brigade Depot in Etaples on the 23/12/16. Transferred to the 1st Battalion King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and allotted the service number 27978 on the 25/12/16. Joined the 1st Battalion King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, “C” Company, in the field on the 26/12/16. Admitted to XV Corps R.S. suffering from sciatica on the 23/2/17. Transferred to the 5th Casualty Clearing Station, in the field, suffering from myalgia on the 27/2/17. Admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Hampshire, suffering from trench fever on the 4/3/17. Discharged from Hospital on the 10/4/17. Admitted to Malchet Court, Romney on the 10/4/17. Discharged on the 25/5/17. Admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley on the 25/5/17. Discharged from Hospital on the 3/7/17. Admitted to the Royal Bath Hospital, Harrogate on the 3/7/17. Discharged from Hospital on the 3/9/17. Admitted to 2nd M. G. H. on the 3/9/17. Discharged on the 14/9/17. Granted furlough from the 14/9/17 to the 24/9/17. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 29/11/17. Embarked from Marseilles, France on the 10/12/17. Disembarked Salonica on the 1/1/18. Transferred to the Infantry Brigade Depot on the 1/1/18. Joined the 9th Battalion King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, in the field on the 16/1/18. Killed in action, previously recorded as wounded in action, on the 19/9/18. Body found by men of the 8th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry on the 23/10/18. Arthur’s surviving service documents are in poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.