LOCAL LEGENDS (2)
ARTHUR WELLESLEY BIGSWORTH

The second of our local legends is Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth. Born on 27th March 1885, the son of Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth Snr. and Kate Box. He received training as a Merchantile Marine officer, later joining the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Navy as a Lieutenant. He joined the Royal Naval Air Service in 1914, serving in France and later Belgium. On 17th May 1915 he became the first officer to succeed in dropping bombs on a German Zeppelin airship AT NIGHT!
Promoted to Squadron Commander he became the first officer to destroy single handed a German submarine off the Belgian coast on 26th August 1915. For these and other acts of bravery he was awarded the DSO and bar and later the AFC. In later years he became Director of Equipment at the Air Ministry from 1931--1935.

ARTHUR WELLESLEY BIGSWORTH IN R.N.A.S. UNIFORM

It was whilst working at the Air Ministry that he met and worked with Capt. W.E.Johns who wrote the famous Biggles books, basing his hero on Arthur and his wartime exploits and it is rumoured his work for military intelligence. Arthur whose father was also named in honour of the Duke of Wellington (his father and grandfather were great admirers of the Duke) was a resident of West End for many years; in his early life at the age of 16 years he was listed as living at Firgrove House in Moorhill Road. He married Kathleen Eleanor in 1920 and continued living at West End. His name and wartime details appear on the West End Roll of Honour which is situated in the Parish Centre. He passed away on 24th February 1961.