Arthur Philip Abecasis was born in Paddington, London, in 1889, the youngest of the three children of Victor Emile Abecasis (1861-1929) and Amelia Frances Lucas Abecasis née Belinfante (1864-1939). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1889 in the Hendon Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London).
In the 1891 census he is shown as aged 1 year, living at 22 Portsdown Road, Paddington (later renamed as Randolph Avenue), with his parents, his two siblings: Gabriel Marco Abecasis (1885-1910) and Doris Ruth Abecasis (1887-1950) and his maternal grandmother, Rosita Belinfante (1825-1902). His father was described as a professional singer.
When the 1901 census was undertaken he was shown as aged 11 years and his place of birth was listed as Maida Vale, London. He was shown as a student/scholar, boarding at Belvedere School, 2, 5 & 6 Belmont Dyke Road, Hove, Sussex (now East Sussex).
Having worked for J. Lyons & Co. Ltd, he obtained a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Somerset Light Infantry and was killed in action, aged 28 years, on 9 April 1917. His body was buried in Plot 1, Row E, Grave 7, in the Tigris Lane Cemetery, on the D37E1 road, Wancourt, France. The Army Register of Soldiers Effects states that he was Second Lieutenant in the regiment's 3rd Battalion, but was attached to their 6th Battalion. It shows that his army effects totalling £44-10s-2d were sent to his sister as his sole administrex on 31 December 1917 and that she was also sent his £5-0s-0d war gratuity on 6 December 1919. Probate records show his address to have been Bois-Fleuri, Ouchy, Lausanne, Switzerland and that when probate was granted to his sister on 24 November 1917 his effects totalled £71-10s-7d. He was posthumously awarded to British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'ABECASIS, A.' on the J. Lyons & Company Limited war memorial now located at Hammersmith Cemetery, Margravine Gardens, London, W6, as 'ARTHUR P ABECASIS' on the Bevis Marks Synagogue, Bevis Marks, London, London EC3 and as 'ARTHUR P. ABECASIS' on the Lauderdale Road Synagogue war memorial at Ashworth Road, London, W9.
He is also commemorated on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website, the London WW1 War Memorial website, the Royal British Legion's Everyone Remembered website and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, which gives his age as 28 years and that he was serving in the regiment's 5th Battalion, but attached to their 6th Battalion. However the British Jewry Roll of Honour 1914-1918 states that he was in the regiment's 6th Battalion and that his home address was 27 Kensington Court, London W.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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