Arnold Purdie was born in Sandyford, Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1908. He subsequently moved to Woolwich, London and was recruited into 367 Battery, 140 Regiment at the Regiment’s inception in 1939; service number 922530.
He would have been age 31 years of age in 1939, and almost certainly had driving experience, as he was enrolled as a Driver along with his comrades Harry Andrews, G Botham, Harry Weldon and J J Pollard.
Gunner Arnold Purdie, pre-war
Arnold Purdie was involved in all of 367 battery’s BEF battles, including the fighting at Cassel. From all accounts he was mortally wounded during the breakout from Cassel during 29th-30th May 1940 and may have been treated in a German Field Hospital.
From there the record goes cold- he was listed as Missing in Action until confirmation of his death was sent to his family in 1943. He has a German Personnelkarte in the National Archives and his personal effects were returned to the family in 1943 by ‘German authorities‘ but no information was given as to the circumstance of his death or the site of his burial.
Arnold Purdie’s German Personelkarte with a date annotated (26 June 1940)
First notification of Arnold Purdie’s presumed death, 1941
Personal letter from Driver J.J. Pollard that mentions Gunner John Martin DSO as a potential knowledge source
Gunner Arnold A Purdie’s name is listed on the Dunkirk British Memorial to the missing, Column 14.
