Arthur John Bunce
Corporal 8072
2nd Batt. Royal Berkshire Regt.
War Plot
Divisions 71 and 72
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Arthur Bunce was the son of Mr and Mrs Alfred Bunce of 43, Alma St., Reading, and husband of Mrs F. D. Bunce of 12, Pell Street, Reading. He died of wounds at the Reading War Hospital on 21st October 1918 aged 33. He had been attached to the 8th Batt. Royal Berkshire Regt. Arthur Bunce has no headstone in the War plot but his name is commemorated upon the screen wall.
The author has found only a little information about the military career of Arthur Bunce. A report in the Standard 21st November 1914, states that he had been wounded in the stomach and severely bruised and taken to St. Nazaire Hospital on September 26th 1914. At the time it is more likely that he was serving with the 1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, rather than the 2nd as they were on their way back from India. The 1st Battalion had been in action at the Aisne, with heavy fighting and many casualties in the period between the 15th and 21st September. After a period of convalescence he returned to active service.
We next hear of him in a report from the Chronicle where he had again been wounded and was possibly recounting the attack during the Battle of Festubert. When he received the wounds from which he died is unknown. However, in the late summer of 1918 the 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regt. were part of the allied offensive in the area of the Somme, chasing the Germans back over the ground which had been so hard won in 1916 and so easily lost in the spring.
