Arthur Edward Grasett

Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Edward Grasett KBE CB DSO MC (20 October 1888 – 4 December 1971) was a British-Canadian soldier who served with the British Army in Canada, England, India and China.

Arthur Edward Grasett
Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Grasett
Born20 October 1888
Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom
Died4 December 1971 (aged 82)
Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
Buried
Cathedral Church of St. James in Toronto, Ontario, Canada[1]
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1909–1947
RankLieutenant-General
UnitRoyal Engineers
Commands heldCommander of British Troops in China
48th (South Midland) Division
VIII Corps
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Chief Commander Legion of Merit (United States)

Education

Grasett was born in 1888 in Plymouth, the eldest son of Arthur Wanton Grasell of Toronto, Ontario and Catharine Frances Hewett of Halifax, Nova Scotia, daughter of Army officer Edward Osborne Hewett.[2][3] He was educated at Upper Canada College in Toronto. He enrolled at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario in 1906, remaining there until 1909 as student #729. He was College Battalion Sergeant Major from 1908 to 1909.

Military service

Grasett was commissioned into the Royal Engineers on 24 June 1909.[4][5]

He served with distinction during World War I, earning the Military Cross (MC) in 1915, the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1918,[6] and five times mentioned in despatches. He then attended Staff College, Camberley from 1920 to 1921. He served on operations on the North West Frontier of India from 1921 and then as a General Staff Officer at the Staff College from 1935.[5] As a Brigadier, he served on the General Staff in the headquarters of Northern Command from 1937 and was appointed Commander of British Troops in China in 1938.[5]

Grasett served in World War II as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 48th (South Midland) Division from 1941 and, promoted to acting lieutenant general on 7 November 1941,[7] was made GOC of VIII Corps on the South Coast of England from November 1941. In 1944 he was posted to the War Office and served as Chief of the European Allied Contact Section of the SHAEF under General Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1944 to 1945.[5] He was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Jersey[5][8] and Colonel Commandant Royal Engineers in 1945 and retired in 1947.[5]

Awards and recognition

Family

In 1935, he married Joan Mary, who was the daughter of JK Foster of Egton Manor, Yorkshire.

References

  • 4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC - A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
  • H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876–1918. Volume II: 1919–1984. Royal Military College. [Kingston]. The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984
Military offices
Preceded by
Arthur Bartholomew
Commander of British Troops in China
1938–1941
Succeeded by
Christopher Maltby
Preceded by
Roderic Petre
GOC 48th (South Midland) Infantry Division
October − November 1941
Succeeded by
Hayman Hayman-Joyce
Preceded by
Kenneth Anderson
GOC VIII Corps
1941−1943
Succeeded by
Herbert Lumsden
Government offices
Preceded by
British Military Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
1945−1953
Succeeded by
Sir Gresham Nicholson
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