SELWYN Arthur Penrose

Known information

Arthur Penrose Selwyn, his twin brother Christopher Selwyn and his half-brother George Selwyn all died in the First World War. They were among six sons of a former headmaster of Uppingham School, Edward Selwyn. Arthur and Christopher were born in August 1889 in Ambleside, Westmorland but the family moved to Uppingham when they were babies. Their mother Lucy Ada later died and their father married Julia Maude, who gave birth to George. Arthur enlisted in the 11th Battalion King Edward's Own Lancers but at the time of his death was attached to the Royal Flying Corps. He was killed on a training flight in Hampshire. A contemporary account states. "At 11.30am on the morning of Thursday the 18th of May 1916, two officers, Lieutenants Arthur Penrose Selwyn and George Simpson Bateman, made an ascent in an aeroplane. The flight under the direction of a Lt. Norman B Patterson, who in evidence to the inquest, stated that 'both men were very good airmen,' Lt. Selwyn was flying the machine, and was the most experienced of the two, Lt. Bateman was in the observer's seat. The aeroplane, although not identified, was stated to be a modern type. It had been examined before the flight, and found to be in good working order. After taking off, the machine climbed to a height of about 300-400 feet. During a turn to the right, the machine was seen to nose-dive and plummet into the ground at Holbrook. Lt Paterson was of the opinion that 'the pilot had attempted to turn the machine at an insufficient height and the aeroplane had stalled.' Lt Bouchier was the first officer to reach the stricken aviators. Both men were taken from the wreckage and were found to have died of their injuries. Both men were buried with service honours, four days later." He had married his wife Eileen in Kensington in November 1915 but died before the birth of his only child, who was born three months later. The baby was named Arthur after his father, and his middle name was Wakefield, which was the middle name of his uncle Christopher who had died the year before. Arthur Penrose Selwyn is buried at Gosport (Ann's Hill) Cemetery, grave 52.29914. He is remembered on the memorial inside the chapel at Uppingham School along with his brother Christopher, and the twins are also commemorated on Grayshott war memorial in Hampshire. But none of the brothers are on Uppingham Town war memorial or are mentioned in George Phillips' Rutland and the Great War. 

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There are a couple of inaccuracies to amend; 1) 09 August 1890 in the blue list SHOULD be 1889, as in the article, 2) "He was named Arthur after his father, and his middle name was Wakefield, which was the middle name of his uncle Charles who had died the year before." The uncle's name is Christopher, as stated earlier, NOT Charles! The baby 'Arthur' who is mentioned in this quote is my late father. The following all attended Uppingham School and from these years: Geoffrey Selwyn (1900, term 2) older brother, born 1888 Arthur Penrose Selwyn (1904, term 2) born 1889 Christopher Wakefield Selwyn (1905, term 1, for some reason a little later than his twin) born 1889 John Selwyn (1906, term 3) younger brother, born 1893 Arthur Wakefield Selwyn (1930, term 1) son of Arthur P SelwynMy sister and I attended for sixth form in 1980 and 1982; my two sons did the same in 2007 and 2009
By Emma D on Monday 15th July '19 at 12:18pm
 

Rutland and The Battle of the Somme

More than 90 Rutland soldiers died in the Battle of the Somme which lasted from 1 July 1916 until the middle of November. Today they lie in cemeteries across the old battlefield in northern France or are remembered among the 72,000 names on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. By using our interactive map, you can find out what happened to them.

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