Arthur Edward Cutting was born in 1899 in Kensal Rise, Willesden, Middlesex (now Greater London), one of the eight children of William James Cutting (1865-1929) and Eleanor Harriet Cutting née Westrop (1862-1935). His birth was was registered in the 1st quarter of 1899 in the Hendon registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London). He was baptised on the 23rd April 1899 at St John the Evangelist Church, Kilburn Lane, London, W10 4AA, where the baptismal register shows the family were living at 124 Purves Road, Willesden and that his father was a railway porter.
The 1901 census lists him as Edward A. Cutting, aged 2 years, living at 124 Purves Road, Kensal Green, Willesden, Middlesex, (now Greater London) with his parents and elder brother Sidney George Cutting (1894-1938). His father continued to described as a railway porter.
He was correctly shown as Arthur Edward Cutting, aged 12 years and a schoolboy in the 1911 census still residing in a six roomed property at 124 Purves Road, Kensal Rise, with his parents and three siblings: Sidney George Cutting; Dorothy Alice Cutting (1901-1983) and Leonard Robert Cutting (1903-1971). His father was described as a railway company inspector and his elder brother as a railway company clerk.
He was confirmed, aged 13 years, on the 16th March 1913 by the Bishop of Willesden, at St Martin's Church, 4 Mortimer Road, London, NW10 5SN, and in September 1915 he was appointed as an Assistant Postman in the London Postal Service.
In March 1917 he joined the 8th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Post Office Rifles), service number 375253 and was promoted to Corporal. He entered France on 30 March 1918 and on 3 April 1918 he was transferred as a Lance Serjeant to “A” Company, 1st/18th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Irish Rifles), service number 608712. He died of his wounds, aged 19 years, on the 22 August 1918, and is buried in Plot 3, Row C, Grave 21, at Dive Copse British Cemetery, Le Bois Menet, Sailly-Le-Sec, Somme, France. The London WW1 Memorial website describes the action in which he was wounded.
By 13 January 1919 his father had been sent his army effects totalling £7-8s-1d and on 16 December 1919 his £7-0s-0d war gratuity. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal (1914-1918) and the Victory Medal. These were also sent to his father at 124 Purves Road.
He is shown as 'CUTTING, A.E.' on the Western Postal District war memorial, Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website and on page 90 in the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
