#L/22756 Bombardier Arthur William Grosvenor
282ND BRIGADE, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY
THE 7TH OCTOBER ARRIVED AND with it a delayed new offensive on the Somme. On the morning of the 4th, Rawlinson had informed his generals that, on account of the weather, this would be the case. ‘The troops might as well have been in the middle of a pond. No one could move.’ The 56th Division, London Territorials, had come into the line at the end of September ready to play their part in this new effort. In their sector the plan was to press north-east from Lesboeufs and seize positions suitably close and tactically sensible for an attack on the defences around Le Transloy at a later date. The infantry would be going forward in tandem with the French, and the general bombardment leading up to the battle would begin on the 6th.
Manning guns behind the 56th Division was a pair of brothers, sons of a Prudential agent from Norwood in South London. Educated locally, the eldest, Arthur, was then employed as a steward at the Dulwich and Sydenham Golf Club. He had enlisted on 21st April 1915 and arrived in France in December, where he now served in the 282nd Brigade with his 18-year-old brother, Thomas.
Arthur and Thomas Grosvenor were suffering side by side as the weather began to deteriorate towards winter. The gunners were in a sorry state. While divisions rotated in an out of the line, to keep up the rate of fire often the artillery remained, exhausted, working and constantly enduring German fire power. To avoid it they were forced to dig holes and sit in them. They rapidly filled with water. Guns were packed in tightly, often firing wheel-to-wheel, so that there was no break from the din.
The guns were as exhausted as the men were. Barrels were worn out as they had fired too many shells without proper attention or maintenance. Mechanisms were also in need of repair and replacement. All of this combined to make fire inaccurate as it caused shells to burst at the wrong time. They also had to live with patchy support from the RFC, as the bad weather kept pilots on the ground and unable to help range the guns or observe their fire. Living in this squalor and enduring the reality that they were not performing their job to the best of their ability was grinding, but it was unavoidable, and through no fault of their own. Nevertheless, Arthur had a positive outlook on things, performing his duty ‘cheerfully and efficiently’, and surprising his officers ‘[with] his good temper under all conditions, which have often been most trying’.
As soon as the brigade began its preliminary bombardment on the 6th October the enemy began to respond vigorously. The division’s infantry went forward at 1:45pm the following day next to the French. On the far left they were fairly successful, but to the right the attack was held up by heavy machine-gun fire. The brigade attacking on the right fared worse, the remnants of one battalion coming under a heavy barrage and diving for cover in shell holes, where they cowered until dusk and then crawled back to their original line. At 8:30pm the German counter-attack developed. Although the London Scottish did their best to withstand it, more troops had to withdraw to their starting positions. Throughout the course of the day, a telephone wire keeping Arthur’s brigade in touch with the forward positions was broken and, as it was essential to help them fire accurately where their shells were needed most, the Grosvenor brothers went forward to help repair it. For his trouble, as he mended the wire, Arthur was hit in both arms and the spine. He called out at once to the man who was with him, but he quickly lost consciousness and died about half an hour later with his teenage brother by his side.
Thomas was utterly distraught. Completely unable to put into words the awful news in a letter to his parents, he asked his commanding officer to do it for him. The 28 year old had lost his own brother at La Boisselle on 3rd July. ‘I and all his comrades wish to express our deep sympathy with you in your bereavement,’ he began. ‘He was a man whom, equally, with his brother, I had personally the greatest liking for, and both of them have always been most popular with all ranks of the battery.’ He assured them that their 23-year-old son would receive a fitting service. ‘He will be buried beside [another man of this battery] this afternoon and I hope to obtain the services of a chaplain and will do my best to have his grave as you would wish it left.’ There was much concern about Thomas’ state of mind. ‘I have done what I can to comfort his brother, who is heartbroken about it, but it is hard for outsiders to help him as I fear it is to help you.’ He would have known from his own personal experience. It was the intention of the officer to give Thomas a break from the front lines. ‘I hope to send his brother to the wagon line, in a place of safety for a few days’ rest and a chance to recover himself’.’ Arthur Grosvenor and his deceased companion were originally laid to rest to the east of Ginchy. In 1919, the area was cleared and both were reinterred at Guards Cemetery, Lesboeufs, plot IX.S.5.
Guards’ Cemetery, Lesboeufs. (Andrew Holmes)