Arthur Field

There is some uncertainty over the reasons for the inclusion of this name on the War Memorial as it has not been possible to find anyone with the name Field in any census return or electoral role who was either born in the village or lived in Tasburgh before 1918. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds records of eight persons with the name Arthur Field who died in WW1, six British soldiers, one British sailor and one New Zealander but none of them have any obvious links to Norfolk, yet alone Tasburgh. However, it is possible the family moved into the village after the 1911 census but had left before the 1918 Register of Electors was prepared. Alternatively, like Herbert Harbour, he may have had an uncle living in the village or a cousin or married sister who wanted to see his name honoured. It was not uncommon for a name to appear on more than one local memorial, Frank Rix being a case in point.

There was however an Arthur Charles Field in the 7th Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment who died on the 30th November 1917 at the 1st battle of Cambrai which was notable for the first use of massed tanks. After initial allied successes on the 26th and 27th the German army launched a strong counter-attack on the 30th November. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial at Louveral but without more information it hasn't been possible to link him to our Arthur Field, and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a record of four other men from the Norfolk Regiment with that family name who died in WW1 and about 460 men with that name who died fighting in other regiments or ships but none of them apart from Arthur Charles Field had Arthur as their first name.