| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit # | 48 Highlanders, 134th Bn., Royal Flying Corps., 43rd Squadron |
| Resident | Chatham |
Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box: 2389-10, Item: 349981, PDF: B2389-SO10. 43 Squadron RFC. The son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Arthur Dean. At the time of his enlistment he was a student at the Bank of Montreal in Chatham. He had graduated from Upper Canada College. He had a brother, a Captain in an trench mortar unit in France. Date of Birth: 16/01/1897, born at Belleville, ON.
Height: 5’ 10”, Weight: 135#, Girth: 33 to 36”
Arthur enlisted with the 48th Highlanders. Att: 20/10/1916 At Toronto, ON. Transferred to the 134th Overseas Batt., CEF. He sailed from Halifax aboard the S. S. Scotian 8/08/16. He was reported an officer with the 5th Reserve in England. Lieutenant A. C. Dean arrived in England with 134th Battalion in August 1916 and transferred to the R. F. C.? September 1917. was taken prisoner April 1918 and repatriated to England December 1918, and sailed for Canada January 1919.
Arrived in France (in Field) and was TOS with the 43rd Sqd. 3/02/18. Arthur was posted to 1st CORD 16/09/17 and was posted to the RFC. He was posted as a Warrant Officer 9/01/18 and up graded to Flying Officer an Gazette Flying Officer 18/02/18.
He was reported Missing In Action 14/04/18 and struck off the CDN record. Arthur was reported missing In action 12/04/18. A letter from Capt. Miles RFC dated 13 April, 1918 as follows:
“I very much regret to have to inform you that your son was missing on the 12th. I am afraid that I have little clue as to what has happened to him as he was lost in a big scrap in which all the squadron was engaged. It is quite possible that he was forced to land behind the lines an is in prisoner but you should prepare yourself on his having been shot down as he was an old hand and would not land on the other side of the lines unless he was forced to by engine trouble. He is a very great loss to the squadron’s he was an excellent pilot and a good fighter and was always very cheery in the mess.
You will obtain news most likely through the Red Cross, Geneva, Prisoner of War Department. I am sending his Kit off to you at once. Assuming you of my deepest sympathy in which all my officers join.
Yours sincerely.
Major C Miles.”
As it turned out Arthur was a captured as a POW. His first POW Camp was at Karlsfuhe. He was transferred to Holzminden. He was repatriated arriving at Hull 14/12/18.
The war was over but he had one more hurdle before going home. He came down with Influenza. He was admitted to hospital with a temperature of 100.2 and a pulse of 88. He was admitted to St. Andrew’s Military Hospital 18/02/1919 and was discharged 3/03/19.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
| Sources | IODE, Chatham Daily Planet (25-04-1918), Chatham Daily Planet (03-05-1918), Chatham Daily Planet (24-06-1918), Chatham Daily Planet (23-07-1918), Chatham Daily Planet (16-12-1918), Chatham Daily Planet (17-01-1919), Chatham Daily Planet (21-01-1919), Chatham Daily Planet (22-01-1919), Chatham Daily Planet (26-12-1918) |
| Height | 5' 10 1/2" |
| Eye Colour | Blue |
| Age | 20 |
| Complexion | Fair |
| Hair | Fair |
| Race | White |
| Birthplace | Belleville, Ontario. |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Last Place of Employment | Student at Toronto University |
| Marital Status | Single |
| When Enlisted | Toronto, Ontario |
| Where Enlisted | Toronto, Ontario |
| Next of Kin | Father- H. A. Dean, Chatham, Ontario. |
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