Arthur was the son of Major Francis Henry Chalkley who was commander of the Army Clothing Depot in Dewsbury in the First World War. He had died from illness aged 49 while working in the role. Arthur was married firstly to Dr Rosamond Erica Roper in 1925. The couple subsequently divorced in 1934 and she practiced separately in Leeds. He had previously worked in Hull but in early 1939 was in Tilbury. The 1941 and 1942 Medical Registers show him registered at Appleby in Westmoreland as does the Sep 1939 Register. He was living with his mother, and with Ada Watson, a gown designer, who he married in Jan 1940. By the publication of the 1943 Medical Register he had moved to Caistor.
He was active in the community. In June 1943 a whist drive was held in the grounds of his house to raise funds for the Red Cross Prisoner of War Medical Funds. In the same month, he also judged a baby show held to raise money for the Kelby Wings Fund, raising money for RAF aircraft. In the immediate post-war period he was a member of the Caistor chess team, playing in various games, including against the local prisoner of war camp.
He retired to Chingford in Essex in 1961. Seven months later, he was found dead in Epping Forest, having been missing for three days.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caistor Outstation | Observer | 30 Apr 1942 | 07 Jul 1944 |
Medical Practitioner
During the First World War he had joined the Buffs, the East Kent Regiment, serving asa private. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 2/5th Battalion, the Royal West Kent Regiment on 4 Nov 1914 shortly after the war broke out. He was subsequently seconded to the 1st Battalion Kings African Rifles on 18 Nov 1916. He was promoted to Acting Captain on 21 Dec 1917. He returned to the Royal West Kents on 14 July 1919 and became a substantice Captain on 15 Jul 1921. He ended his service on the Special List. He had not trained as a doctor at this point, possibly suggesting a role as a linguist or in intelligence.
During the Second World War he returned as a Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps, joining from the territorial Army reserve of Officers on 5 Jan 1940. he was subsequently promoted to Captain. He resigned his commission on 25 April 1942 on the grounds of ill health. This is likely when he took the post at Caistor as a General Practitioner.
He is believed to have become involved with the Special Duties branch. Many doctors were involved as they would have been allowed to continue to practice after an invasion and to travel to their patients, giving opportunities for observation of enemy forces.
London Gazette 5 Nov 1914, 8 Feb 1917, 8 May 1917, 6 Feb 1940, 24 Apr 1942, 26 Jun 1942
Hull Daily Mail 12 Nov 1934
Grimsby Daily Telegraph 2 Jun 1943, 28 Jun 1943, 11 Apr 1947
Dewsbury Reporter 3 Feb 2014
Sunday Express 27 May 1962
Joan Woodcock
Dave Hunter / Mark Sansom