Murder mystery in Porthcawl

Late on March 12th Police Superintendent May received details that a woman in Porthcawl had been shot by a German prisoner on the run. The woman, Mrs Lily Grossley, was not dead but doctors were fighting for her life.

In her initial police statement, she claimed that German prisoners had shot her when she refused to give them her handbag. Her husband, Howard Grossley, was also involved in the incident, but he was unharmed and the prisoners had run off.

However, by the next morning Tuesday 13th March 1945, police had started to unfold an unusual story.

Howard Grossley was a Canadian soldier with a wife in Canada. Mrs Lily Grossley was not Mrs Grossley at all. Her real name was Lily Griffiths, and she and Howard Grossley had been living together and were the parents of a two year old son.

Howard Grossley was A.W.L. (Absent Without Leave) from the army and was staying in a guest house in Porthcawl which is only a few miles from Island Farm.

Howard Grossley gave a police statement that claimed that on the night of the12th March 1945, he and Lily were taking a late night walk. Whilst walking down a lane near to the guest house, they had been threatened by German POWs who tried to steal Lily's handbag. In defense Howard Grossley had used his revolver, which he was carrying, to threaten the POWs away. However, as the POWs had made their escape down the lane, Howard Grossley had fired a shot and in so doing had inadvertently shot Lily Griffiths.

Initially, Lily Griffiths backed up Howard Grossley's statement. But as the realisation that her injuries were more serious, she changed her statement, maybe in an attempt to help Howard from imprisonment.

In her revised statement, Lily Griffiths stated that Howard Grossley was extremely depressed because:

Lily Griffiths stated that, whilst walking, Howard Grossley said that he was going to end his life. During a wrestle for the gun, as Lily tried to stop Howard killing himself, he had inadvertently shot her.

Lily Griffiths died Friday 16th March 1945 as a consequence of the gun shot (collapsed and septic lung) and Howard Grossley was charged with her murder.

Howard Grossley was held at Cardiff Prison and stood trial on the 11th and 12th July 1945 at the Glamorgan Assizes Swansea charged as:

"Howard Joseph Grossley on the 12th day of March 1945, in the County of Glamorgan, murdered Lily Griffiths"

He pleaded "Not Guilty". The presiding judge was J. Singleton and Howard Grossley was represented by Messrs. Stockwood & Williams of 3 Court Road, Bridgend.

The trial lasted two days and on the 12th July 1945, Howard Grossley was found guilty of the murder of Lily Griffiths. He appealed and his appeal was heard on 21st August 1945. However, the verdict of murder was upheld and Howard Grossley was sentenced to death by hanging 5th September 1945 (aged 37 years). His body was buried within the Cardiff Prison Cemetery....or was it ?

If Howard Grossley's body is what lies buried in the grounds of Cardiff Prison, then who is the person honoured in Brookwood Memorial War Cemetery in Surrey ? He shares the same name and service number as Howard Grossley but apparently died EXACTLY two years earlier in combat....

Related Link: 6th October 2003, BBC News web site: Howard Grossley's body is to be exhumed to permit the building of a new cell block at Cardiff Prison. Click here to view BBC web page.

NAME: Bombardier JOSEPH HOWARD GROSSLEY

Regimental Number: D-106883
Rank: Bombardier
Unit: RCA (Royal Canadian Army) 2^nd Division

Personal
DATE OF BIRTH:       25^th September 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH:    Verdun, Quebec, Canada
DATE OF DEATH:     5^thSeptember 1945 - (Judicial Hanging – on strength of Forces H.Q. 405-G-1301)

PLACE OF DEATH: Cardiff Prison (Remains buried within precincts of Cardiff Prison Cemetery)

NATIONALITY:         Canadian
RELIGION:                 Roman Catholic
HEIGHT:                     5’7”
WEIGHT:                   150Lbs
EYE COLOUR:          Blue (Wore glasses)
FOSTER FAMILY:    Frank Viens (14 E Spring Street, Winooski, Vermont, USA
NEXT OF KIN:          Mrs Marie Goulet Grossley (Wife), Burlington, Vermont, USA.
CHILDREN:               son

Qualifications
MILITARY:                                      None
BUSINESS OR PROFESSIONAL: None
TRADE OR CIVIL:                         Chauffeur
TECHNICAL:                                  None
LANGUAGES:                                French, Spanish & English

Educational Qualifications
HIGH SCHOOL: 3 years Burlington High School, Graduated in 1921
COLLEGE: None
UNIVERSITY: None
4 years public schooling

Hobbies:
Music, Swimming, golf, Soccer and hockey

Abbreviations:

C.A.S.F.    - Canadian active Service Force
S.O.S.      - Struck Off Strength
T.O.S.      - Taken On Strength
R.C.A.      - Royal Canadian Artillery
A.W.L.      - Absent Without Leave
#1.C.A.H.U - No 1. Canadian Artillery Holding Unit
C.M.H.Q.    - Canadian Medical Head Quarters
S.I.Q.    - Sick in Quarters
N.C.O.      - Non Conscripted Officer
P.L.        - Personal Leave
C.V.S.M.    - Canadian Volunteer Service Medal

Service Record

1923 – 1933 employed by F. Viens as a Grocery store clerk in Winooski, Vermont, U.S.A and earned $18 per week. (Family shopped owned by foster parents)
1933 – 1937 Employed by Underwood & Elliot-Fisher Typewriters Co (Hartford, Connecticut, USA) and worked in the factory as a Drill Press Operator and earned $55 per week.
Enlisted into the army 22^nd July 1940 having previously been employed by the City of Montreal as a Park Supervisor for 3 years earning a weekly wage of $37.50
22^nd July 1940, District depot No. 4 Camp C.A.S.F. (Canadian Active Service Force)
3^rd August 1940 Attached for all purposes to Petawawa Military Camp, Petawawa, Ontario.
4^th August 1940: Taken On Strength (T.O.S) Royal Canadian Artillery (R.C.A) 2nd Canadian Division.
4^th August 1940: Staff car driver
21 August 1940: Struck Off Strength (S.O.S) of C.A.S.F. (Canadian Active Service Force)
21^st August 1940 Embarkation at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
4^th September 1940: Disembarkation at Gourock, Glasgow, Scotland, Great Britain.
5^th September 1940: Staff car driver
October 1940: Service Record makes initial reference to being based at Aldershot, England.
10^th October 1940: Received 168 hours detention and forfeits 12 days pay for going A.W.L. (Absent Without Leave)
15th October 1940: Admitted to Duke of Connought Hospital, Aldershot, England.
15^th October 1940: Placed under hospital stoppage of pay
2^nd December 1940: Medical category changed from “B2” to “C2”
18^th – 26^th December 1940: Privileged Leave.
28^th October 1940: Hospital stoppages (14 days).
17^th February 1941: S.O.S to No.1 Canadian Artillery Holding Unit (#1.C.A.H.U), medical category C2 as a training clerk
18^th February 1941 T.O.S from HQ (headquarters) 2^nd Division
24^th March – 2^nd April 1941: Privileged leave
13th April 1941: S.O.S to Canadian Medical Head Quarters (C.M.H.Q)
14^th April 1941: Service record starts to detail his location as Acton (neighbourhood of London)
14^th April 1941: T.O.S. on re-posting from Artillery Holding Unit (A.H.U)
17^th April 1941: Granted SUB-ALL 794(2)(B)
21^st May 1941: Sick in Quarters
5^th June 1941; Received treatment as an outpatient at Ducane Hospital, Hammersmith, London
11^th July 1941: Qualified group C trades pay (RO599)
Qualified Group B trades Pay (RO599)
16^th July 1941: To draw Group C trades pay
3^rd September 1941: To be acting bombardier
1^st – 7^th October 1941: Granted leave of absence
3^rd December 1941 : Confirmed bombardier
8^th December 1941: Admitted to No. 5 General Hospital
19^th December 1941: Discharged from No. 5 General Hospital
19^th December 1941: Granted sick lave until 22^nd December 1941
11^th February 1942: Provisional leave 11^th February 1942 – 18^th February 1942 4.4 no warrant.
18^th February 1942: Return from leave
4^th April 1942: Sick in Quarters (S.I.Q.) 10:00Hrs
9^th April 1942: Returned 08:30Hrs
12^th May 1942: S.I.Q.
16^th May 1942: Ceases S.I.Q.
20^th May 1942: Granted P.5 leave to 27^th May 1945 (no FTW)
27^th May 1942: Returned from leave
8^th - 9^th June 1942: S.I.Q.
19^th - 20^th June 1942: S.I.Q.
3^rd July 1942 – 4^th July 1942: SIQ
10^thJuly 1942: Qualified as clerk Group C
15^th July 1942: Admitted to No. 5 General Hospital
31^st July 1942: Discharged from No 5. General Hospital
3^rd August 1942: Privileged leave granted until 10^th August
10^th August 1942: Return from leave 08:29Hrs
24^th August 1942: S.I.Q. until 08:20 Hrs 25^th August
2^nd September 1942: S.I.Q. until 08:20Hrs 3^rd September
28^th October 1942: Granted 7 days P.L (personal leave) until 4^th November 1942
26^th October 1942: S.I.Q. until 08:15Hrs 27^th October 1942
4^th November 1942: Returned from P.L.
13^th November 1942: Qualified as a clerk group B
13^th November 1942: Granted tradesmen’s rate of pay Group B (Clerk)
7^th December 1942: S.I.Q. 10:00 Hrs until 08:15Hrs 8^th December 1942

Reference given 12^th January 1943:

Well built, clean cut N.C.O somewhat worried about his general state of health and the care of his son worries him. Separated before he joined up, he made a false statement about his marital status. The Government caught up with him, cut off the allowance, which he is now paying back to the Government. He is now unable to do much for his son. Apart from these problems he is happy in his work.

27^th January 1943: Granted 7 days P.L 27^th January 1943 – 3^rd February 1943
28^th April 1943: Granted 7 days P.L to 5^th May 1943
28^th July 1943: P.L. until 6^th August 1943
6^th August 1943: Admitted to No. 10 General Hospital
10^th August 1943: Discharged from hospital
27^th October 1943: P.L. to 3^rd November 1943
3^rd November 1943: Admitted to No. 10 General Hospital
17^th November 1943: Discharged from hospital
15^th January 1944: Awarded “The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal & Clasp”(C.V.S.M.)
2^nd February 1944: PL until 9^th February 1944
1^st March 1944: Admitted to No. 10 General Hospital
1^st March 1944: SOS to Canadian Medical Head Quarters (C.M.H.Q.) “Y3” list (In hospital)
2^nd March 1944: T.O.S. from Records Office. CMHQ
15^th March 1944: Ceases to draw SUB-ALLS
29^th March 1944: Discharged from hospital
29^th March 1944: S.O.S to Records CMHQ
30^th March 1944: T.O.S. from C.M.H.Q. “Y3” list (Group B Clerk)
30^th March 1944: Authorised to draw SUB-ALLS
16^th September 1944: P.L. until 23^rd September 1944
19^th January 1945: P.L. until 26^th January 1945
26^th January 1945: Abscent Without Leave (A.W.L.) from 08:16Hrs
26^th January 1945: Ceases to draw SUB ALLS
2^nd February 1945: Still A.W.L. 08:16Hrs (8^th Day)
17^th February 1945: Still A.W.L. 08:16Hrs (22^nd Day)
17^th February 1945: S.O.S. Deserter (Deficiencies in kit to the value of $15.99)
12^th March 1945: T.O.S. on being apprehended by Civil Police and held in Civil Custody 23:59Hrs
Held at Cardiff Prison.
Charge: “Howard Joseph Grossley on the 12^th day of March 1945, in the County of Glamorgan, murdered Lily Griffiths”
11^th & 12^th July 1945

Trial
Pleaded “Not Guilty”,
Verdict “Guilty”
Presiding judge J. Singleton
Soliticitors: Messrs Stockwood & Williams Solicitors, 3 Court Road, Bridgend

21^st August 1945 – Appeal hearing
5^th September 1945 – S.O.S. Deceased. Died by Judicial Hanging (age: 37 years)

Decorations and Awards

Howard Grossley's medals and awards were forfeited upon his execution.

Defence Medal


Brookwood War Cemetery, Surrey	Highlighted by red arrow, Howard Grossley's name (GROSSLEY J.H) exists on cemetery wall