Arthur William Townshend

Private

Conflict:

WW1

Additional Information:

Son of Joseph and Sophia Townshend, of 110, Strickland St., Sydenham, Christchurch, New Zealand. Native of Mataura, Southland.

References:

CWGC

Archives New Zealand

NZ WAR GRAVES

CONTRIBUTED

Public Contributions:

ARTHUR WILLIAM TOWNSHEND, Born 15 April 1893 at Mataura. He moved to Christchurch with his parents & family in 1905. He served in World War I as a Private (Number 6/3901) in the Canterbury Infant...ry Battalion (C Company), 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force attached to Divisional Signals, 2nd Canterbury Battalion. At his enlistment in the army he was recorded as “Arthur William Townshend, Labourer, son of I. [sic] Townshend, 58 Rosewarne Street, Spreydon, Christchurch”. He embarked from Wellington, New Zealand with his friend & future brother-in-law Edward O’Connor on the troop ship ‘S.S. Maunganui’, 8 January 1916 & landed at Suez, Egypt, 8 February 1916. Will dated 4 February 1916 – in which he was described as “Arthur William Townshend of Christchurch in the Provincial District of Canterbury in the Dominion of New Zealand Farmhand at present a Private number 6/3901 in the C Company 9th Reinforcements of His Majesty’s New Zealand Expeditionary Force”. He wrote the following letter to his sister Eva – “France, 18/10/16, Dear Eva, Just a few lines in answer to your welcome letter which I received tonight. Here I am just woke up to go on duty on the phone at 11 o’clock at night, it’s a nuisance but of course a good opportunity to do some writing. Last time we were in the trenches we had rather a rough spin, as I suppose you already know & then they picked me out to work with the Divisional Signallers on visual stations using the flag by day & the electric lamp by night & fritz wasn’t long in shelling us whenever we started signalling. With me being away from my battalion for such a long period of time my letters were sent to the hospital. Consequently my letters are 1½ months late, but fancy them thinking that I was in the hospital. I wish I was, it would do me for a year or two now after all the narrow squeaks I’ve had lately. Well Eva we’ve had a couple of train journeys & a route march or two & here we are in the trenches again where we were before, where things are not quite so hot as the last affair. I do think myself lucky to have got out of it whole, of course I’m not the only one, but I’m confident that God was with us alright & I hope that He will spare me to see you all again even as he spared Harry [his brother]. I can tell you we have seen a few sights here in France that we don’t wish to see again for some time. It was awful. Yes I have been expecting a letter from you for some time past & I have one at last. It does cheer a fellow up to get a letter from home now & again. In reference to this signalling, I don’t say that it is any more dangerous a job than most of them. I have heard people say myself that it is dangerous owing to having to mend wires under heavy fire, but if a fellow’s going to get hit he’ll get hit wherever he is, that’s my opinion. I have received quite a number of parcels from Lucy [his sister] & have congratulated & thanked her very much as she is the only one that I have received parcels from as yet, but I believe some one else has started thought I haven’t received them yet. Anyway it is a consolation to know that they’re coming. I am sorry to say that the strawberries are finished, but there are plenty of apples now, & they are not too bad. It is raining here good oh now. The winter is approaching fast & we find it rather difficult to keep warm as we have nothing in the way of blankets to keep us warm. I came across Jim Crotty from the Bays. He told me that Ned [Edward O’Connor, his sister Lucy’s future husband] was in the camp, but I couldn’t see him as we were on the march at the time. Well Eva I will now close as I have several more letters to write. Trusting this finds you all well as this leaves me at present. Hoping to hear from you soon again. I am enclosing this in a German envelope. Your Brother, Arthur”. It was reported in the ‘Evening Post’ as follows – “Sick & Wounded. Today’s Progress Report. A hospital & progress report issued at noon today stated (the place of residence of the next-of-kin is given in each instance) – Dangerously Ill…Townshend, A.W., 6/3901, Spreydon”, 10 Feb. 1917. Died 6 Feb. 1917 - of wounds sustained at Rue Delphierre, France. Bur. Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerch, Nord, France (Grave I.E. 14). M.I. It was reported in the ‘Press’ as follows – “The Roll of Honour. Yesterday’s List. Wellington, Feb. 15. The following casualty list (No. 515) was issued today – Died of Wounds – Canterbury Battalion – Feb. 5th [sic] Townshend, A.W. (J. Townshend, Rosewarne Street, Spreydon, Father)”, 16 Feb. 1917. It was reported in the ‘Evening Post’ as follows – “Casulty List. Wellington, Feb. 16. Died of Wounds…Private A.W. Townshend”, 17 Feb. 1917. It was reported in the ‘Press’ as follows – “The Fallen & the Wounded. Personal Notes. Private Arthur William Townshend (died of wounds) was the second son of Mr J. Townshend, of Spreydon, & was born in 1893 at Mataura, Southland. He was educated at the Mataura, & Addington State Schools, & subsequently took up farming pursuits at Le Bon’s Bay & elsewhere till he enlisted for the war over twelve months ago”, 22 Feb. 1917. Will Proved at the Wellington High Court, 5 July 1917. s.p. Read More

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