The Huxstep Trilogy ~ Part 3
Gunner Arthur Steven Huxstep Royal Artillery
The Man Arthur Steven Huxstep, or Hucky as he was known, was born on 25th April 1923 in Wouldham, Kent, son of Charles Stephen Huxstep, a cement labourer, and Lilian nee Collins. He was one of four children, Lilian M born in 1921, John Charles 1920-35 and Edward William 1927-91. He also had a half-brother by his Father’s second marriage, Alan Charles born in 1932, and who was killed in action during the Canal Zone Incident in 1952. Arthur attended school at Wouldham, but sadly his parents marriage didn’t last and during the late 1920s Lilian left Charles taking all four children with her, the couple then becoming estranged. She moved with the children to 144 Darnley Road, Strood in Kent and Arthur went to Temple Farm School. After completing his education he became an HGV lorry driver. On 6th May 1943 during World War II and on becoming 19 Arthur was conscripted into the Territorial Army, General Service Corps,13th Primary Training Corps with service number 14599427. He was described as 5’ 7” tall weighing 125lbs with blue eyes and dark hair. His girth when fully expanded was 36”, religion Church of England and medical grade AI. In June he was transferred to the Royal Field Artillery 22nd Anti-Tank Training Regiment as a Gunner and in October to the 96th AT Regiment. On 18th January 1944 following his training Arthur was transferred to the 61st AT Regiment and embarked for France on 6th June 1944, D-Day for Operation Overlord, the Normandy Landings. He was wounded on the right side of his neck on 16th June and invalided home on 19th and hospitalised. During his time in hospital he apparently went AWOL from 2000h on 7th August until 1130h on 8th, a total of15 hours and 30 minutes for which he forfeited one days pay. He was also transferred to the Y List, when a soldier was taken off the strength of his unit whilst sick or wounded, and to which he might not be returned. On 15th December 1944 he was discharged from hospital transferred from the Y List to the RA Depot, and then to the 89th AT Regiment. On 16th May 1945 he returned to North West Europe as part of the British Army on the Rhine and appears to have been admitted to hospital again during October, returning to the UK during November.
Following the war Arthur was awarded the 1939-45 Star, France & Germany Star and British War Medal 1939-45. On 1st January 1946 Arthur was posted to the Middle East, followed on 2nd February by the Central Mediterranean Force which covered Italy and the Balkans and then the Middle Eastern Force, covering Egypt and the desert to Tunis on 31st March. He returned finally to the UK on 12th June 1947, was released into the Z Class Reserve on 29th August and married Dorothy Alice Bond from Uxbridge in the fourth quarter of 1947, living with her at 130 Hawthorne Road, Rochester and had one son Steven born in 1948. In later life Arthur continued working as a lorry driver for Swains Transport based in Strood, and later for Conoco where he remained until his health deteriorated. He then moved to 94 Rosemary Avenue, Minster on Sea and died there on 2nd June 1974 aged just 51of Terminal Bronchopneumonia and Lymphoid Leukaemia. He was cremated at Charing Crematorium in Kent. Dorothy re-married to John Gipson in 1976 and died in April 2015. She was also cremated at Charing.
The Story See Charles Stephen Huxstep for the full story.
Medal Details
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- France & Germany Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
Page last updated 3 Dec 17