THE GREAT-NIECE of a Bradford soldier who fought in the First World War wants to “re-tell his forgotten story” and appeal to find his other descendants.

Melissa Dennison, from Thackley, found information on her great-uncle, Arthur Thompson, who died in 1920 from battlefield wounds. Melissa says her family “Did not know of Arthur” until recently.

She did, however, know of his brother Harry, who also fought in the war and was killed in 1916 - she has a photograph that she always assumed to be of him, but, after ten months of research, she realised it was actually of his brother Arthur.

Arthur Thompson was born in Goole in 1887 but later moved to Bradford's now demolished Skinhouse Street.

Melissa also discovered, through the 1939 census, that Arthur’s wife Julia and their children Elsie and Christina lived on Marshfield Street, while Arthur’s parents lived on Ryan Street “until 1930 or so.”

Arthur was an “Ordinary working-class lad in Bradford who left school at the age of 13”, Melissa explains, but the army took him worldwide.

"He enlisted in 1915 and fought in Egypt, the Somme and in various other campaigns on the Western front"

Arthur was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry and bravery during the Battle of Oppy Wood in 1917.

Melissa says "His experience represents that of the average Tommy.”

“He was in the Machine Gun Corps who were nicknamed the ‘suicide club’ because of their dangerous job. Arthur was severely wounded several times, was blinded in the right eye and got shrapnel in his face which left him 50% disabled. He died from these wounds in 1920, in Tooting Military Hospital, London."

Melissa was looking for the grave of Harry and Arthur’s mother, her great-grandma, in Bowling Cemetery, when the cemetery's gravedigger Graham Swain offered his help and found Arthur's grave, leaving Melissa “Surprised and amazed” as she did not know he was buried there.

Her “Initial search was on online ancestry sites" and her research also included “Speaking to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and visiting Bradford’s City Library.”

She was also supported by military researcher Graham Sacker, from Cheltenham, who she “Owes a lot to for his time and commitment.”

After the war, Melissa says a disabled Arthur only received “19 shillings and 7 pence per week from the government for his family, the equivalent of £168.80 in today’s money. Even after he gave so much, Arthur was not respected or appreciated.”

Melissa’s family were unaware of Arthur until now, she says, because of how “Traumatic” his story was: “Harry died in 1916, Arthur died in 1920 and their sister, Mabel, also died at home in 1916 – their parents were traumatised so it was never spoken of.”

Melissa now wants to shed light on Arthur’s tale, as the 100-year anniversary of his death approaches: “This is not a unique story, it is the story of many men, that’s why I want to share it.”

“I recently found two second cousins of mine who are also descendants of Arthur. Neither of them knew of him either and both were surprised.”

“It would be great if Arthur's other descendants came forward and we could meet."