Grosvenor, Joseph Frederick: Service no. 53116

Source: “Duty Nobly Done” page 285.

Summary of Service[i] for Private Joseph Grosvenor, reg. no. 53116

Date	Event	Remarks
August 10, 1894	Born	Born at Barrow-in-Furnesss, Lancashire, England.
October 24, 1914	Enlisted	Enlists with the 18^th Battalion at London, Ontario on October 23, 1914. He had prior military experience with the 7^th Regiment[ii] and was a 5’ 8.5” tall labourer. His next-of-kin was designated as his mother, Mrs. Maria Grosvenor residing at 8 Beech Street, Barrow-in-Furness, England.
November 11, 1914	Anti-Typhoid Inoculation	Signed by D.H. Hogg.
November 22, 1914	Anti-Typhoid Inoculation	Signed by D.H. Hogg.
December 16, 1914	Vaccinated	Signed by D.H. Hogg.
April 15, 1915	Leaves London, Ontario	Leaves to embark S.S. Grampian at Halifax, Nova Scotia for England.
April 18, 1915	Embarks S.S. Grampian	Embarks transport ship at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
April 29, 1915	Arrives England	Arrives with 18^th Battalion at Avonmouth and the Battalion entrains to West Sandling for training with the 2^nd Canadian Contingent (2^nd Division).
August 1915	Assigns Pay	Assigns pay in the amount of $25.00 (later reduced to $20.00 effective May 1, 1916) to his mother.[iii]
September 9, 1915	Admitted	Admitted to Tent Hospital at St. Martin’s Plain.
September 28, 1915	Discharged	Discharged from hospital.
October 8, 1915	Transferred	Transferred to the 48^th Battalion.
October 26, 1915	Transferred	Transferred to the 18^th Battalion.
October 27, 1915	Arrives	Arrives in the field with the 18^th Battalion. The Battalion was in Divisional Reserve at La Clytte.
July 6, 1916	Submits Will	Leave real and estate property to this mother, Mrs. Maria Grosvenor, 8 Beech Street, Barrow-in-Furness, England. The will is witnessed by James Hutchison [iv] and George Bamiling [v].
September 16, 1916	Admitted	Admitted aboard the Hospital Ship St. Patrick and transported to England.
September 20, 1916	Admitted	Admitted Kitchener Hospital, Brighton, England for slight wound to chest.
October 8, 1916	Admitted	Admitted to Military Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom, England.
November 10, 1916	Discharged	Discharged to Canadian Convalescent Depot at St. Leanords to the 1^st C.C.T.B. Battalion.
January 24, 1917	Transferred	Transferred to the 4^th Canadian Reserve Battalion, Hastings.
April 15, 1917	Taken on Strength	T.O.S. from 4^th Canadian Reserve Battalion to the 18^th Battalion.
May 26, 1917	Struck off Strength	S.O.S. to 18^th Battalion.
May 28, 1917	Arrived	Arrived from 4^th Canadian Reserve Battalion to the Canadian Infantry Base Depot, Etaples.
June 15, 1917	Arrived	Arrived with the 18^th Battalion in the field. The Battalion was resting and refitting at Barlin, France since June 4.
August 21, 1917	Promoted	Promoted Lance-Corporal vice L.Cpl. J.A. Egan promoted.
November 16, 1917	Promoted	Promoted Sergeant as Sergeant F.G. Jones was promoted.
August 28, 1918	Killed in Action	Sergeant Grosvenor’s Circumstances of Death Card relates: “”Killed in Action” When in the trenches in front of Guemappe, he was instantly killed when a shell burst in the trench while he was on duty.” The War Diary relates: “At 3:00 a.m. following intense 5 min. barrage Bn. jumped off TILOY [sic] TRENCH in front of TELEGRAPH HILL in support of 21st Cdn. Bn. The artillery preparation was good. Owing to getting lost in the darkness, the tanks detailed to go over with the Bn. failed to turn up per schedule, so the Unit was without their assistance in the initial kick-off. MINORCA TRENCH, a difficult nut to crack, was set as the first objective, and SOUTHERN AVENUE TRENCH as the second objective. Both positions were won by 8.00 a.m. “D” Coy. holding the last named defence line in conjunction with the 21st Cdn. Bn. “A” Coy. remained in GORDON TRENCH, and “B” Coy at the first objective, MINORCA TRENCH. Up to this time the casualties had been far smaller than anticipated, although Lieut. McHardy had gone only a short distance from the Assault trench when he sustained mortal shrapnel wounds. The German resistance had been slight but at this point was considerably strengthened. At 1. o’clock, the Bn. was ordered to capture the village of GUIMAPPE. Personal reconnaissances in broad daylight and under sever fire by Major C.M.R. Graham and Capt. D.A.G. Parsons, M.C., O.Cs respectively for “D” and “C” Coys. were first conducted. Waiting until artillery support, inadequate as it was to meet the situation, had been obtained, “C” & “D” Coys at 4.00 p.m. advanced and captured the ruined town. Casualties in the face of both terrific machine gun and artillery barrages laid down by the enemy were fairly heavy.[vi] Lieut. Brackin [sic], who had done brilliant work up to this moment, was instantly killed by a shell and Capt. Parsons and Lieut. Edwards sustained wounds that resulted in their immediate evacuation. Resultant of the progress, “C” and “D” Coys occupied and consolidated STAG TRENCH, and “A” and “B” Coys moved forward to RAKE AND GORDON TRENCHES respectively. At. 11 p.m. “A” Coy under the fine leadership of Lieut. Spence, went forward, despite most stubborn opposition, and captured CALVARY TRENCH. Unfortunately, the achievement went for naught, as the Unit on their immediate left was held up and the Coy. at 3.00 a.m., 27th, after 4 hours of desperate fighting was compelled to withdraw temporarily to RAKE TRENCH. Approx. all ranks 10 killed & 15 wounded. 1 O.R. ret. from leave & 1 O.R. on leave. 2 O.Rs ret. from army rest camp.” It is difficult to know at what point of the day that Sergeant Grosvenor met his fate. The Battalion was in very active operations in that part of the month, along with the Canadian Corps, pursuing the Germans as part of “The Last 100 Days”.
Post August 28, 1918	Interred	Sergeant Grosvenor was later interred at the Wancourt British Cemetery. He is buried along with 21 other Battalion brothers at plot IV. A. 28. Two members of the Battalion lie in graves beside him.
December 2, 1920	Scroll Despatched	Scroll No. Z2868 despatched. To Mrs. Maria Grosvenor residing at 8 Beech Street, Barrow-in-Furness, England.
April 15, 1922	Plaque Despatched	Plaque No. P35450 despatched. To Mrs. Maria Grosvenor residing at 8 Beech Street, Barrow-in-Furness, England.
November 13, 1920	Medals and Decorations	Victory Medal, British War Medal, and 1914-1915 Star per (M) C30487. To Mrs. Maria Grosvenor residing at 8 Beech Street, Barrow-in-Furness, England.

[i] The Summary of Service for this soldier is meant as just that, a summary of his service. It is not intended to be an exhaustive biographical relation of his life or his war service. Some information may be deliberately suppressed by the author out of sensitivity to the soldier. Readers are encouraged to reference the actual service records available at the Library and Archives Canada in PDF format if they wish to learn more about this soldier. Such additional information (i.e. hyperlinks etc.) are for informational purpose only and no claim to verification or accuracy is made by the author of this summary.

[ii] It is not known to which this unit refers. Is it a Canadian or British unit?

[iii] Note that most pay was assigned by members of the Battalion in March 1915 before they left for England.

[iv] Most likely Hutchinson, James: Service no. 403377.

[v] Bamiling, George: Service no. 424385.

[vi] Emphasis mine.