Biography

Family background

Arthur William Bisat was born on the 17th June 1917 in Hemingbrough, East Yorkshire, the son of William Sawney Bisat and his wife, Enid Alice Bisat (nee Powell). Arthur was William and Enid's second child following a daughter, Joan Margaret who had been born in 1916 in Leyburn. Arthur's father was employed by Harold Arnold & Sons, Ltd, the Public Works Contractors, of Doncaster and Leeds, and from about 1906 until the outbreak of World War 1, William was engaged in their preliminary work for the construction of the Leighton Impounding reservoir, near Masham. By the end of the war, William's rank had risen from junior to chief site engineer. After Leighton, his next major assignment was the construction of a lead-refining mill and river wharves on the Humber, and then to planning and construction of a cement works at Hull. The family therefore relocated to North Ferriby in 1920. William Bisat was a keen geologist and was eventually recognised for his work by the award of a Fellowship of the Royal Society.

At the time of the 1921 census, William Bisat was a boarder at The Devonshire Hotel, in Skipton, but we have not traced his growing family in 1921. However, it was in that year, on the 11th May 1921, that William and Enid's next child, Patrick G Bisat, was born in Hull. Three years later, their fourth child, Mary Bisat, was born, again in Hull. Unfortunately, tragedy struck the Bisat family soon after when, in 1929, Mary died. Arthur Bisat would have lost his sister when he was only aged 12.

Arthur William Bisat was educated at Hymer's College, Hull, and in 1936 he was awarded a Styring Scholarship to study at Queen's College Oxford. The Robert Styring scholarships were endowed by Robert Styring, a former Lord Mayor of Sheffield, with the intention of supporting the education of capable young men from Yorkshire. Arthur was admitted to read the Modern Greats in the School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Arthur enjoyed University and College life winning his College Colours in 1936/7 in athletics and in rugby in 1937/8. He was also keenly interested in politics and the Labour Movement and was a member of the College Historical Society. Arthur graduated with a second class Honours Degree in 1939.

At the time of the 1939 National Registration, Arthur Bisat and his family were living at The Dene, on Leeds Road in Collingham. The household was headed by William Bisat (Arthur's father), and Arthur, Patrick and Joan were all present. Also living with them were Mary St.Agnes Powell, William Bisat's widowed sister in law and her daughter from her first marriage. Arthur was described as an Oxford Graduate, while Patrick was a student, described as being incapacitated, and Joan who was a midwife.

1939 and 1940 also marked some significant bereavements for the Bisat family. Between October 1939 and January 1940 both Patrick G. Bisat, Arthur's brother, and his mother, Enid Alice Bisat, died after an illness. William later re-married, to his sister in law, Mary St.Agnes Powell.

Service record

At around the same time as Arthur's family traumas, Germany had invaded Poland, and war had been declared. Arthur attested in the army on the 22nd September 1939 at No. 10 Officer Reception Unit in Leeds. His Army Number was 4539512. He was posted to the reserve until his enlistment on the 15th November 1939 when he joined No. 2 Initial Training Company of the West Yorkshire Regiment. After a short period in the ranks, Arthur was sent to an Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU), in Colchester joining 164 OCTU and the London Gazette records that he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the East Yorkshire Regiment on the 25th May 1940 having graduated from 164th OCTU.

Later, on the 9th October 1942, Arthur was transferred to an Airborne Division and served with the 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles. On the 7th August 1943, that Battalion was training in Salisbury Plain when Arthur was involved in an accident with a trench mortar in which he was killed. Several newspapers, including the Yorkshire Post, carried the news:

The Collingham Parish magazine also reported on the loss of one of the villagers:

Arthur William Bisat (1917 - 1943) is buried in Collingham churchyard.

Biography last updated 05 June 2023 19:41:21.