0
P A U L  F O S T E R 

Cameo of the month

C A M E O  O F  T H E  M O N T H

Each month I will put on the website the story of a soldier who died during the First World War.
They are selected at random.


Bard Cottage Cemetery
Lieutenant Gerald Forman Grogan
183rd Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers
Died on Tuesday 8th January 1918, aged 33
Grave reference V. C. 44.

Gerald Grogan

Gerald was born in Tibbermore, Perthshire, on Friday 16th May 1884, son of Brigadier General Edward George Grogan, CB, CBE, and Ida Mary Georgina Grogan (only child of Admiral Sir William King-Hall, KCB, Commander in Chief, The Nore), of Torrevagh, St Andrews, previously of Huntley Lodge, Montpelier Grove, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Like his father and brothers, Gerald was educated at Cheltenham College from September 1896 to April 1901 as a Day Boy. He went up to Edinburgh University to study medicine but changed to study mining engineers at Camborne School of Mines.
He sailed on Saturday 10th November 1906 from Glasgow to Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on the RMS Pretorian, and worked in Arizona. After returning to England Gerald sailed on the RMS Sabor from Southampton on Saturday 19th September 1908 bound for Vera Cruz, Mexico. He returned to England but continued to travel including a visit to Canada, returning on RMS Hesperian from Montreal, Province of Quebec, that arrived in Glasgow on Sunday 19th May 1912.
 Gerald then worked as journalist for the ‘Throne’ and the ‘Pall Mall Magazine’. He published a number of books including ‘The Weregeld’, ‘A Drop In Infinity’ in 1915 and ‘William Pollok, and Other Tales’. A privately published book entitled ‘Poems’ was produced by his mother in 1915.
At the outbreak of war Gerald enlisted in the Honourable Artillery Company. HM King George visited the Honourable Artillery Company on Saturday 12th September 1914, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Edward Treffry, to undertake an inspection. Six days later Gerald marched out of ‘Belhus Park’, Rainham, Essex, and entrained for Southampton, under the command of Captain Charles Athenry Jukes Whyte. Gerald embarked on SS Westmeath bound for St Nazaire, arriving early on Sunday 20th. The Battalion was given a great welcome by the local population who showered them with all types of fruit and other gifts.
The Battalion was split into companies and sent to different parts of France to undertake a range of duties. Gerald entrained to Le Mans on Tuesday 22nd to begin guard duties. At the end of October the Battalion reassembled in St Omer from where Gerald was sent to Blendecques to dig a new trench system. Four days later he was taken by a London omnibus to Bailleul. The town had been evacuated by the enemy only ten days before who had taken everything with them that was not nailed down! The Battalion was ordered to march north into Belgium on Saturday 7th November but as they approached Kemmel they were ordered south to Estaires. Gerald was provided with a billet in a farmhouse where he rested for two days. On Monday 9th the Battalion were sent to Les Lobes where en route Field Marshal Sir John French reviewed them as they marched past.
Gerald began fatigues, digging trenches, near to Rouge Croix and Croix-Barbée. General Sir James Willcocks, commanding the Indian Contingent the Battalion was working with, inspected the Battalion.
The first experience of shellfire came on Friday 13th November and one of Gerald’s comrades from No 3 Company, Private Francis Milne, was killed (he is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial). Gerald returned to Bailleul on Monday 16th after a hard march of sixteen miles over the pavé. Five days of much needed rest followed and on Saturday 21st General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien inspected the Battalion who gave an upbeat address to the assembled ranks.
Gerald marched across the border to Neuve Eglise from where he was sent into the front line for practical experience and instruction from the Royal Scots. After a tiring few days at the front he marched to Westoutre that was described by one of the officers: “… we had a long and weary march there; I have rarely felt so beat. When we halted, people went to sleep by the side of the road; some men even slept as they marched.” Gerald paraded outside his billet on Thursday 3rd December to cheer HM King George, accompanied by HRH The Prince of Wales, whilst was visiting the front who said to the Colonel: “Well, Colonel Treffry, we meet under rather different auspices from those when I last had the pleasure of inspecting the HAC in London”. The King and Prince then went to the Sergeants hut and chatted to them. After the inspection the King said to the Colonel: “I am delighted to have had a look at my Battalion again, and under active service conditions, and I am very glad that your casualties have been so light. I am informed that the HAC is doing extremely well, and that your General is very pleased with you. I shall continue to watch your doings with the greatest interest, and I wish you all possible luck.”
Gerald remained on tours of duty in front of Kemmel until he was sent for officer training. He was commissioned on Wednesday 10th February 1915 to the 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, however, Gerald transferred to the Royal Engineers so that his mining expertise could be put to good use.
The 183rd Tunnelling Company was formed under Lieutenant Horace Cyril Benjamin Hickling (later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, awarded the DSO and MC and created a CBE) on Saturday 9th October 1915 in ‘No 4 General Base’, Rouen. He was later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and awarded the DSO and MC.
The Company was made up of Welsh miners under the command of 2nd Lieutenant Evan Jones, a Cornish Section and two companies comprised of miners transferred to the Royal Engineers from a number of different units.
The Company left Base on Monday 11th to entrain to Villers-Bretonneux then marched to billets in Warfusée-Abancourt. Work began at the front in front of Fontaine-les-Cappy from Friday 15th where they worked on the trenches and on preparing mines. They moved to the active area around Fricourt and Carnoy to work on mine shafts and ventilation. The shafts were between forty and one hundred and ten feet below ground.
The enemy fired a mine at 8.00pm on Wednesday 1st December that crushed two galleries and a chamber. Lieutenant Harold Llewellyn Twite and nine of his men were killed. They are buried in Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt. The majority of Thursday  2nd was spent clearing up and recovering the bodies, whilst undertaking the work one man was killed by gas that unexpectedly found in a gallery.
Another mine was blown by the enemy at 4.30pm on Saturday 18th December that caused damage but no loss of life. The Company fired charges of 4,000lbs Blastine in “32”, 44,000lbs (ammonal and Blastine) in ‘4’. The result was “rather more than would be expected”!
Gas was a constant problem for everyone in the sector with many being wounded, mainly not seriously. Captain Hickling recorded the firing of an enemy mine opposite ‘73 Trench’ at 3.45pm on Monday 7th February: “First shock was felt at 3.45 and appears to have been very heavy. No men were caught. About 1 minute afterwards a second shock was felt, but on this point further evidence is required.
Flame appears to have occurred in 10.1 from 10.1.2 to 10 shaft. Three Sappers were overcome and collapsed in 10.1. From the distance the bodies were found from the shaft it would seen cut and they were overcome by gas first. All men in 11.2.9 sections got clear. No gas was noticed in 9 but some in 11. Proto men went down 10 and sent up one Sapper who was close to bottom badly gassed. He then brought out the second who was still breathing though badly cut and burned. He then dragged third body to shaft but go no answer to his signal to pull up. He satisfied himself there was no one else below and then went up and found the Officers and men winding in the shaft lodgement were overcome by gas. With assistance he got all these out. A rescue party arrived from 174 Coy who rendered valuable assistance at this point and who brought up the last body.
Some men are still to be examined but to the present it appears that no candles were alight in 10 section. All candles were blown out as far as 9.1.1.
After inspecting crater, the charge appears to have been 140’ - 16’ from 8 shaft bearing 25°.
Damage is as follows. 8.1wricked 20’ from lateral. 10.1.2 wrecked close to lateral. Lateral badly shaken from 8.1 to 10.1.2 but air circulating. Other galleries practically no damage. 8 shaft shaken and lodgement badly cracked and will have to rebuilt. Very little damage to fire trench except right side of D which has slipped into crate. Infantry had 3 men killed by gas in 8 lodgement from which they had been turned out earlier in the day. One man missing.”
It was recorded on Saturday 20th May: “An experimental ‘Russian Sap’ blow was carried out at 10.00am. An 8” bore hold was driven from the head of a Russian Sap at a depth of 8’ 6” below surface. The bore hole was charged with 300lbs ammonal (in canisters) for a length of 24 feet & tamped back to the face of the sap for a length of 16 feet. A crater about 60 fee in length (from lip to lip) was blown and three feet of the head of the gallery broken. The gallery had been cased with Common Gallery Cases.
An experimental explosion with a ‘push-pipe’, driven at a depth of 5 feet, resulted in a ditch of about 3 feet in depth being blown. The earth was powdered & easily removable to a further depth of 4 feet. The pipe had been charged with ammonal.”
With the opening of The Battle of the Somme on Saturday 1st July the Company was in action supporting the infantry, mainly repairing damage caused by shellfire and repairing Stokes gun emplacement. They fired a number of prepared mines and accompanied the infantry to blow a number of German mines and positions. Casualties were light with only two officers and thirteen men were wounded by shellfire.
Work now turned to constructing dug-outs, sinking wells, building huts and general work at the front following the advances made by the infantry. After a couple of weeks more mining was undertaken to support further attacks in the Guillemont sector. The Company continued with their work, without break, until the end of the year, except for Christmas Day that was a holiday.
The Company moved to Flanders in March 1917, based in Busseboom. Whilst reconnoitring the front near ‘Ridge Wood’ on Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th the officers came under fire. Major Hickling, Captains Dobinson and Ridley were wounded by shellfire and evacuated to No 10 Casualty Clearing Station.
Work at the front concentrated on supporting the next offensive, The Battle of Messines that began on Thursday 7th June. The Company moved in ‘Queen Victoria Street’ the night before and was ordered to advance an hour after Zero and search the enemy dugouts. With the offensive at an end the Company turned its attention to the Boesinghe sector with work on dugouts in ‘Hunter Street’ beginning on Tuesday 26th and moving to a camp in the St Sixte area. Major Hickling rejoined the Company on Thursday 5th July to supervise the work for the Third Battle of Ypres. The work undertaken on the Canal Bank was recorded: “Instead of excavating the forced ground which formed the banks of the canal, and also the site of the British and enemy trenches, it was thought, and subsequently proved, that by blowing up these bank by auger holes it would save considerable layout, time and casualties on the morning of the offensive in getting the bridges and roadway across.
Work was commenced on the 24th July, on the west side of the canal at B.6.c.2.7.
Two ordinary 8” earth augers were used, with 3’ x 1” hollow roads. ‘Pipe pushing’ was considered but was thought to be much too unhandy to get up, and would only take 2”canisters which would probably have been insufficient to lift the 9’ of soil.
At B.6.c.2.7.9, the line of the proposed road came in line with a poplar tree about 2’ 3” in diameter and about 30’ high, the canal bank being lined with these at this point, about 20’ apart. Some difficulty was experienced in getting past the roots of these. The holes were lined with 6” stove pipes; each hole being about 34’ long, and taking about 3 hours to complete.
On the 25th work was started at B.6.c.8.0. Five holes were put in, aggregating about 90’, but none were satisfactory. Two dipped too steeply after starting and the other three struck brickwork at about 10’ and could not be proceeded with.
Another trial was made on the 26th, about 30’ further along the bank. Two attempts were unsuccessful but eventually two holes 40’ long were made and lined as before. The holes were found to stay up quite well, and the insertion of the tubes was easy. These two holes were wet. They took about 4 hours to complete, including the lining of them.
Thus two bores were made at each required approach. The original intention for charging was to use an inside canister 5’ long by 5½” in diameter, filled with Ammonal. It was found, however, that the canisters caught against the bottom inside rivets of the tube lining the holes. Elastine was therefore used, the cartridges being simply tied in bundles 6” long and put in with a scoop made from an 18pdr shell case. 20 feet of each hold was charged, 6lbs per foot being put in. No detonators were put in until the last minute, on account of the danger of our own trenches being blow up prematurely by a chance hit from an enemy shell. One electric and three commercial detonators were put in the end of the charge when ready to blow, and this proved quite sufficient to cause perfect detonation along each pipe.
On the 28th the enemy evacuated the opposite side of the canal, and their positions were occupied by our troops. This enabled us to start work on the east bank. Similar holes, two at the site of each intended approach, were bored from the canal side of the bank. The parados of the old German line was not very thick, and it was not considered necessary to blow it. The holes, four in all, were charged with 5½” canisters direct, without any lining. Ammonal was used in these, but the amounts were the same as in the previous holes.
The holes on the west bank at B.6.c.2.7 were charged for a further length of 12 feet, on the 30th, Ammonal being used this time. The holes were then tamped. The two holes on the west bank at B.6.c.8.0 were not so completed until the morning of the 31st, when it was intended that they should be blows, on account of them being so wet.
All 8 holes were ready to be blown by the appointed time on 2 day, ie 2 hours after zero. There was, however a certain amount of delay owing to the difficulty of clearing the area likely to be affected of advancing troops and wounded men, and also to one roll of leads having been destroyed by shellfire which had been very heavy at these points during the 30th and 31st.
The results were very satisfactory. The holes were intentionally overcharged in order that all debris, trees, roots etc should be thrown clear of the cuts, leaving the minimum of clearing to be done later. This was effected, even the tree stumps in the cuts being thrown quite clear of the intended track.
With the offensive in full swing the Company assisted in laying pipes to connect the front with water, and also repairing damaged dugouts. Their work continued in the Canal Bank sector without any particular incident until Gerald was killed by shellfire.
He left an estate of £566 14s 6d (approximately £48,000 today).
Gerald’s gravestone inscription reads: “I thought of the cross that they gave him for the valour he showed”.
He is commemorated on Cheltenham War Memorial.
Gerald’s brother, Lieutenant James Colin Grogan, died on Friday 4th June 1915 and is buried in Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, Turkey.
Gerald and James are commemorated on the family grave in St Andrews Eastern Cemetery with the inscription: “Also J. Colin Grogan, Lieut. 1st K.O.S.B., son of Edward and Ida Grogan who fell leading a charge at Gallipoli on June 4th 1915, aged 25. Also Gerald Forman Grogan, Lieut. R.E. elder brother of above, killed in action near Ypres Jan 8th 1918, aged 33.
Faithful unto death, I will give thee a crown of life.”
Their eldest brother was Brigadier General George William St George Grogan, VC, CB, CMG, DSO & Bar.


Share by: