Medal & Mortality index
The Military Cross was instituted as a Decoration on December 28th, 1914, to
reward Distinguished Services rendered by Officers of certain ranks in the army
in time of war. Bars may be added for additional acts of gallantry. Since August
1st, 1918, it has, like the D.S.O., been awarded for "services in action" only.
Grover , Major A M.C. D.S.O.
March 1916 :
Bienvillers was almost daily given an unpleasantly copious allowance of gas
shells which caused numerous casualties, principally to carrying parties from
Battalion Headquarters. Among these was Major Nunneley, who was gassed on the
10th ; his duties of second in command were assumed by Capt. Spicer, the
Adjutancy being filled by Capt. A. Grover (1st Bedfordshire Regiment), who had
just been transferred to the 2/4th Battalion at the request of Lieutenant. -Col.
Dann.
#
On the night of the 18th the 2/4th Londons relieved the 2/3rd Londons in the
line, which was still held by isolated posts, and the following evening assembly
for the attack began at about 9 p.m.
The 2 /4th Londons' assembly position which was defined by tape lines laid down
by the adjutant, Capt. A. Grover, was on the line Janet Farm-Springfield, and
covered a front of some 800 yards.
#
On the evening of the 19th September Brigade Head-quarters were established at
Cheddar Villa, while the 2/4th Londons' Battle Headquarters opened in St Julien.
The assembly was conducted by Capt. Grover and Lieutenant. Seys (Intelligence
Officer) who were solely responsible for an operation which proved exceedingly
difficult owdng to the still heavy state of the ground. So bad was the mud that
men constantly sank to their knees, and in some cases touch could only be
maintained by tying the men of each section together with tapes. In spite of
these difficulties the 400 men were in position by 3 a.m. on the 20th without a
hitch, and with practically no casualties, although the most advanced platoons
were within 150 yards of the enemy positions. The assembly completed, the 2/3rd
Londons who were holding the line withdrew a short distance to the rear.
The following decorations were awarded after this action : 2/Lieutenant. F. W.
Walker, the D.S.O. ; Capts. A. Grover and S. Davis, and Lieutenant. E. H. R.
Altounyan, the M.C. ; Sergeant Watson, Ptes. Bolton, Austin, Anthony and Bull,
the D.C.M. ; and Sergts. H. O. Wilderspin and F. W. Yandle, Ptes. J. W. Ling and
A. Westcott, the M.M.
#
On the 25th October, Major W. A. Nunneley, second in command of the Battalion
since July 1916, fell sick and was evacuated to hospital, his duties being taken
over by the adjutant, Capt. A. Grover, M.C. Major Nunneley was subsequently
appointed to command the German officers' Prisoners of War Camp at Donington
Hall. Capt. Grover, M.C, was succeeded in the Adjutancy by Lieutenant. F. W.
Walker, D.S.O. On the 22nd 2/Lieutenant D. G. Spring was seconded to the XX
Corps School as Instructor.
RETREAT FROM LA FERE - Grover's Force :
During the afternoon, while the fate of the bulk of the Brigade was still in the
balance, and it was obviously imperative to check the enemy's advance into
Chauny by all available means, the Brigadier ordered Major Grover of the 2 /4th
Londons, who was at Chauny with battle surplus, to organise all available
details for the defence of the town. With remarkable skill and despatch Major
Grover collected a heterogeneous force of clerks, cooks, officers' servants,
transport drivers — anyone who could hold a rifle — and by dusk reported himself
in position on the eastern outskirts of Chauny with a force of 10 officers and
270 other ranks at his command. Of these, 2 officers and 54 other ranks were of
the 2 /4th Londons. This very brilliant piece of work no doubt did much to save
the situation, and " Grover's Force " beyond question deserves to rank high
among the various similar " scarecrow armies " which these critical days
produced.
Grover's Force — Covering the eastern exits of Chauny from the St Quentin Canal
to north of the Chauny — Viry-Noureuil Road.
18th Entrenching Battalion — Astride the St Quentin Canal on the right of
Grover's Force.
6th Dismounted Cavalry Brigade — On the left of Grover's Force east of the
Chauny — Villequier-Aumont Road.
Details of the 2/4th and 8th Londons — On the left of Grover's Force west of the
Chauny — Villequier-Auinont Road.
For the fourth day in succession the Germans were favoured with a thick fog
which enshrouded their movements, and under cover of which they were able to
prepare a further heavy blow. Early in the morning they attacked and broke
through the French outpost line on the River Helot, and about 11 a.m. the
lifting of the mist revealed them attacking Grover's Force east of Chauny, and
also endeavouring to work round the south of the position next the Canal. This
was serious, for a wedge driven in between the Chauny line and the Condren
bridgehead, which was also under great pressure from the enemy, might possibly
involve the loss of the Oise line, the retention of which was vital for us.
Arrangements were at once made by Brigade for a further withdrawal, and this was
rendered the more imperative by the rapid advance made on the left of the Corps
front during the day. In this region the enemy were already threatening
Guiscard, eight miles north-west of Chauny, and the security of Noyon itself was
seriously in doubt.
For several hours Grover's details and the tiny Condren force maintained their
fight, but in the afternoon the withdrawal began in accordance with the orders
already issued. Under Grover's command the mixed force was skilfully withdrawn,
fighting a stubborn rearguard action, to a prepared position about 1000 yards
east of Abbecourt, while the detached portion of the 2/4th Londons on Grover's
left, now about CO strong, fell back to Ognes, and marched into Besme across the
Oise about midnight. Early in the afternoon Major Grover was wounded and Capt.
Askham took over his command. By 4.30 p.m. the Abbecourt position, being no
longer tenable, was vacated and the whole of the 173rd Group, including 2/4th
and 8th Londons, 503rd Field Company, R.E. and the 6th Dismounted Cavalry
Brigade, had crossed the Oise at Manicamp. About the same time the Condrcn
garrison which had held manfully to its positions since the opening of the
battle got clear across the river.
Before this withdrawal was completed the whole of the Oise bridges, and also the
R.E. Dump at Chauny, were demolished, and it may be remarked that during the
four days of fighting not a single gun had been lost except those destroyed by
enemy shell fire.
The 2/4th Londons were joined on the 3rd April by Major F. G. Tollworthy, 1st
Londons, as second in command vice Major Grover wounded.
On the 5th April another evening march was made to Dommiers, and the next day
after a very trying march the Battalion reached Villers Cotterets at 8 p.m. Here
it entrained with the remainder of the Division for an area further north to
which the III Corps had been transferred. The total casualties sustained by the
2/4th Battalion in the second battle of the Somme between 21st March and 3rd
April amounted to :
Officers — Lient. J. Cairns, missing, believed killed ; 2/Lieutenant. F. G.
Williams, died of wounds; Major A. Grover, M.C., Capt. O. A. Clarke, M.C.,
Lieutenant. H. J. M. AVilliams, 2/Lieutenants. R. W. Chamberlain, C. C. H.
Clifford, A. Woodington, E. M. Cutlibertson and C. B, Francis, wounded ;
Lieutenant. W. F. Brown, gassed; Lieutenants. G. E. Lester, H. W. Durlacher,
M.C., 2/Lieutenants. D. F. Crawford and L. F. Wai'dle, captured. N.C.O.'s and
men : 37 killed, 125 wounded and 217 missing.
The total losses of the Division for the same period were 2204, of whom 57
officers and 1606 other ranks were missing.
At the beginning of June the 2/4th Battalion moved back to Contay in Divisional
reserve, and resumed its counter-attack duties. Here a s£vere loss vras
sustained in Lieutenant. -Col. W. R. H. Dann, D.S.O., who was appointed to
command the 60th Infantry Brigade with the temporary rank of Brigadier-General.
Lieutenant. -Col. Dann had been in continuous command of the 2/4th Londons since
November 1916, and during the Battalion's seventeen months of active service he
had held the confidence and affection of all ranks. His great skill as a
commander, his imperturbable coolness in action, his unfailing care for the
welfare of his men, had endeared him to all, and the Battalion said good-bye to
him with genuine sorrow. The command was taken temporarily by Major Tollworthy,
but on the 8th June Major Grover, D.S.O., M.C., who had been hit at Cachy,
rejoined and assumed command with the acting rank of Lieutenant. -Col.
#
Dawn broke at last and the company commanders, eagerly expecting to see the
positions which they had never yet viewed, were dismayed to find the sun rising
on a dense fog which enshrouded the whole landscape and limited vision to about
20 yards ! However, there was nothing for it but to get up and try to keep touch
with the assaulting troops. The enemy's barrage came down quickly and heavily
and the companies moved forward rapidly over No Man's Land, though a good many
fell. By bad luck most of the Battalion Headquarters, including Lieutenant.
-Col. Grover and Capt. Walker the Adjutant, both severely hit, were knocked out
within a few minutes, and this misfortune dogged the Battahon through the day.
Moving forward slowly, trusting to a compass bearing to bring them to the north
edge of Malard Wood, the companies pushed on, our barrage roaring on far ahead
and no troops in sight right or left of them.
The casualties of the two days' fighting were as follows :
Officers : Capt. B. Rivers Smith and Lieutenant C. I. Mansei-Howe, killed ;
Lieutenant.-Col. A. Grover, D.S.O., M.C., Capts. W. H. Parslow, F. W. Walker,
D.S.O., and A. G. Croll, Lieutenants G. de G. Barkas, M.C., and C. C. Brissenden,
2/Lieutenants W, N, M. Girling, H. G. A. Leach, J. W. George, A. L. D. Bold, H.
Slater, S. T. Morris and J. Horsfield, wounded.
N.C.O.'s and men : 38 killed, 228 wounded and 20 missing, a total of all ranks
of 301.
##
Military Cross
Capt. (A/Major) A. Grover (Bedfordshire Regiment) ; London Gazette 18.3.18
Distinguished Service Order
Major A. Grover, M.C. (Bedfordshire Regiment) ; London Gazette 26.7.18