Arthur Grimwood

Arthur worked for many years as a station porter in Brentwood, but before that he had spent four years in France fighting during the first world war.

He went over to France with the BEF on 13th August 1914 and served all the way from the retreat at the Battle of Mons in August 1914 to the end of the war.

In 1968 he recalled:

The worst part of the whole war for me was the retreat from Mons. It was all marching - no transport and we were fighting a rear-guard section all the way. I was worn out, tired and didn't know whether I was walking or what I was doing. Once I got stuck out beyond an advanded party and was chased by a sniper - but he missed me.

He had a close call in 1916 just before returning to England on leave, when a shell burst near him and a piece of shrapnel landed on his foot.

He was married at Shenfield during an 8 day leave in 1917, and returned to France for the rest of the war. He was demobilised in 1919 and began working on the railway - a job he continued until his retirement in 1959. He died in 1970 at the age of 79.