Grundy G S Pte 1362 1st Honourable Artillery Company
PRIVATE G. S. GRUNDY
1ST BATTALION HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY
GEOFFREY STEWART GRUNDY was the only son of Gordon Graham Stewart Grundy, of Headingley, Leeds.
He entered the School in 1900. After leaving School he served his Articles as a Solicitor in Leeds, and eventually joined the firm of Messrs. Spyer and Sons, Austin Friars House, London.
He joined the H.A.C. on August 6th, 1914, and sailed for France in September, landing at St. Nazaire. After being employed in guarding lines of communication, and important stations, and on a short spell of military police duty in Paris, he was moved up to the Front in November, and was killed in action near St. Eloi, on the night of April 14th, 1915. He was buried in the grounds of Château Elzenwalle by Voormezeele. Age 28.
A comrade wrote:
“On the night of the action in which he was killed he was engaged in watching the German trenches, which necessitated the exposure of the head from time to time over the parapet of the trench. Owing to the accuracy of the German shooting this is one of the most dangerous duties involved in trench work.”
Another wrote:-
“He was a great favourite in the Regiment there was no crouching below the parapet when on guard: he stood up square and kept his watch conscientiously, in spite of the bullets.”
Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1
GRUNDY, GEOFFREY STEWART, Private, No. 1362, No. 1 Coy. Honourable Artillery Coy., onlys. of George Graham Stewart Grundy, of Whernside, Headingley, Leeds, Iron and Steel Merchant, by his wife, Joanna, only dau. of George Taylor, of Leeds and Ripon, and grandson of the late Edmund Grundy, of Bridge Hall, Bury; b. Leeds, co. York, 1 Dec. 1886; educ. Rugby, and on leaving there was articled to Messrs. Barr, Nelson & Co., Solicitors, of Leeds. He was admitted a Solicitor in Jan. 1911, and at the time war broke out was with Messrs. Spyer & Sons, Austin Friars, E.C. Ηe immediately volunteered and joined the H.A.C., 6 Aug. 1914; went to France, 19 Sept. 1914, and was killed in action near Ypres, 14 April, 1915; unm.
He was buried in the grounds of the Château Elzenwalle, Voormezeele. His Platoon Commander, Capt. M. M. Schiff, wrote: “He was a great favourite, as he was always so cheerful and bright, under the worst conditions. He was on guard at the time, in the trench, that is, standing with his head above the parapet, keeping a look-out against the Germans. Unfortunately, a shot caught him, and his death was practically instantaneous. He suffered no pain at all. He was taken down by the stretcher bearers, and was buried next evening in the grounds of a chateau, some distance behind the line”; and a comrade (Private M. Phillips, who was killed exactly one month later, 14 May): “We had a most terrible time on the above-mentioned night, the Huns mined a trench on our left, and that started it, rifles, machine guns, artillery, trench mortars and a few other atrocities, and for about three-quarters of an hour we were very lively. It died down after a bit ; but, unfortunately, during that time poor old Grundy went under (my special chum, of whom I was very fond, and I have mentioned him many times to you in my letters); he was on the ‘look-out’ and took a bullet straight through the head, dying instantaneously; it was perfectly awful, as he was next to me in the trench, and was joking and laughing up to the very minute. He was such a topping good fellow.”
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1