Great War Lives Lost

William Arthur Grattan-Bellew

Marching from Shahraban the 9^th Brigade move towards the Jabal Hamrin hills arriving at 04:30 at the impassible water filled canals and the entire brigade shelters in nearby dry canals where they remain concealed all day while bridging materials are brought forward.  By 20:30 the final stretch of water the Ruz Canal has been spanned by “Campbell’s Bridge”.

Today’s losses include:

• The son of a Baronet
• The son of a former High Sheriff
• The son of a General
• Multiple sons of members of the clergy
• Multiple families that will lose two sons in the Great War
• A South African Rugby footballer

Today’s highlighted casualties include:

• Major William Arthur Grattan-Bellew MC (Connaught Rangers attached Royal Flying Corps) is accidentally killed at age 23. He is the son of the 3^rd Baronet ‘Sir’ Henry Grattan-Bellow former High Sheriff of County Galway.
• Captain Somerset Charles Godfrey Fairfax Astell DSO (North Staffordshire Regiment) dies at home at age 50. He is the son of General Charles Edward Astell.
• Captain Richard Patrick Hemphill (Leinster Regiment attached Royal Flying Corps) is accidentally killed in Egypt at age 23. He is the son of the Reverend Samuel Hemphill Archdeacon of Down.
• Captain Greville Oxley Brunwin-Hales (Essex Regiment attached Royal Flying Corps) is killed at age 27 when the tail of his BE2c is shot off by anti-aircraft fire. He is the son of Canon Greville Turner Brunwin-Hales. His brother was killed in October 1915.
• Captain Frederic Gifford Raven (Railway Operating Division Royal Engineers) dies at age 27. He is the son of ‘Sir’ Vincent Raven KBE.
• Captain Thomas Trelawny Beaty-Pownall (Border Regiment) is killed in action at age 35. His brother will be killed in October 1918.
• Second Lieutenant Eustace Bertram Low (Royal Flying Corps) is accidentally killed at age 18. He is the son of the Reverend Arthur Edward Low Vicar of St John’s Folkestone.
• Second Lieutenant Edward John Hare (Royal Flying Corps) is killed at age 29. He is a well known athlete, sprinter and Rugby Football player in the Transvaal.
• Company Sergeant Major Alfred Gordon Franklyn (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 25. His brother will be killed in August of this year.
• Private John Titchmarsh (Durham Light Infantry) dies at home at age 26. His brother will be killed in June 1918.