Name
Arthur Fitzhenry Townshend
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/09/1916
42
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant Colonel
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
11th Bn. (Commanding)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Mentioned in Despatches
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HEILLY STATION CEMETERY, MERICOURT-L'ABBE
IV. F. 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Haileybury College Cloister Wall Memorial, Hertford Heath
Pre War
Born on 19 May 1874 in Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland son of Henry Fitzjohn and Mary Christiana (Bushe) Townshend. Educated at Haileybury College 1888-90. Initially commissioned into the 4th Bn. the Cameronians on 28 May 1891 and served with them in India. He transferred to the 1st Bn. in 1894. He resigned his commission in 1898 but rejoined the 4th Bn. Cameronians on 12 Feb 1900 as Captain and served in the Boer War. He was mentioned in Dispatches in 1901. He then joined the Foreign Office and became Vice Consul in Turkey in 1903 and Consul in 1905. He was unmarried.
Wartime Service
On the outbreak of the war, he re-joined the 4th Bn. Cameronians on 18 Aug 1914 and was promoted to Major on 1 Dec 1914. He entered France on 12 May 1915. He was twice wounded and Mentioned in Dispatches again in 1915. He was then appointed Lt Col commanding 11th Bn the Royal West Kent Regiment on 28 Jan 1916 and they went to France in May 1916. Involved in one of the first British tank attacks at Flers-Courcelette on 16 Sep the battalion lost 443 men including Lt Col Townshend who died in 36th Casualty Clearing Station of wounds received.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox
