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 the 12th 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 defence, 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 set in, 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:
- He had previously suffered horrific phosphorous burns to his back, was in constant pain and was therefore on high medication.
- On the night of the shooting he had been drinking which, mixed with any medication, could have enhanced his depression or affected the way he was feeling.
- He was A.W.L. from the army and he hated the shame of this.
- He hated having to lead his double life due to the fact that he was already married.
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 gunshot (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:
He pleaded "Not Guilty". The presiding judge was J. Singleton and Howard Grossley was represented by Messrs. Stockwood & Williams of 3 Court Road, Bridgend.
Witnesses:
- Arthur Gordon Thomas - Police Detective Sgt - Canton Cardiff
- Catherine Davies (Lily Griffiths' sister) - Wife of Clifford Davies - Cwmaman, Aberdare.
- Jennie Blodwen Atkinson - Guest House Owner and Wife of Ernest Atkinson - Porthcawl
- Shirley Jones - Single woman - Porthcawl
- William Rees Thomas - Taxi Proprietor - Porthcawl
- John Carter Clare - Watch repairer - Porthcawl
- Lilian Elizabeth Harvey - Single Woman - Porthcawl
- Lilian Violet Newlyn - Wife of Henry Charles Newlyn - Porthcawl
- Frank Stanley Rowe - Mason - Porthcawl.
- Jethroe Gough - Doctor of Medicine - Whitchurch, Cardiff
- Arthur James Speck - Gas Fitter - Porthcawl
- Thomas Lewis - Police Constable - Porthcawl Police Station
- Thomas Nicholas - War Reserve Constable (W.R.C) - Porthcawl Police Station
- William Matthews - Police Inspector - Porthcawl Police Station
- Robert Hodkinson - General Practitioner - Porthcawl
- Beryl Edwards - Nurse - Bridgend & District Hospital
- Lancelot Douglas Bailey - Police Detective Inspector - Port Talbot
- William Heap - Police Detective Sgt. - Bridgend
- George Edward Lewis Carter - Staff Chemist - Cardiff
- Francis Edward Morton - Firearms Shooter & Tester - Birmingham
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....
Brookwood War Cemetery, Surrey, England
Highlighted by red arrow, Howard Grossley's name
(GROSSLEY J.H)
exists on cemetery wall
Related Link: 6th October 2003, BBC News website: 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
Personal
Qualifications
Educational Qualifications
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 shop 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.
- 22nd July 1940: Enlisted into the army.
- 23rd July 1940: T.O.S. #4 District Depot, Montreal.
- 16th August 1940: T.O.S. #2 Artillery Holding Unit.
- 21st August 1940: Embarkation at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
- 4th September 1940: Disembarkation at Gourock, Glasgow, Scotland.
- 5th September 1940: T.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U.
- 18th September 1940: S.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U on transfer to 5th L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 19th September 1940: T.O.S. 5th L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 26th November 1940: Admitted to #2 Canadian General Hospital.
- 4th December 1940: Discharged from #2 Canadian General Hospital.
- 10th August 1941: Admitted to #15 Canadian General Hospital.
- 20th August 1941: Discharged from #15 Canadian General Hospital.
- 17th June 1942: S.O.S. 5th L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A. on transfer to #1 C.A.H.U.
- 18th June 1942: T.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U.
- 12th August 1942: S.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U on transfer to 4th L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 13th August 1942: T.O.S. 4th L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 18th May 1943: Granted 7 days P.L. with travel warrant to London.
- 2nd August 1943: S.O.S. 4th L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A. on transfer to #1 C.A.H.U.
- 3rd August 1943: T.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U.
- 1st September 1943: Appointed Acting Bombardier (with pay).
- 14th September 1943: S.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U on transfer to 2nd L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 15th September 1943: T.O.S. 2nd L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 23rd September 1943: Reverts to Gunner on transfer to #1 C.A.H.U.
- 24th September 1943: S.O.S. 2nd L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A. on transfer to #1 C.A.H.U.
- 25th September 1943: T.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U.
- 13th November 1943: S.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U on transfer to 3rd L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 14th November 1943: T.O.S. 3rd L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 22nd February 1944: S.O.S. 3rd L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A. on transfer to #1 C.A.H.U.
- 23rd February 1944: T.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U.
- 2nd June 1944: S.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U on transfer to 4th L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 3rd June 1944: T.O.S. 4th L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A.
- 23rd July 1944: Confirmed in rank of Bombardier.
- 26th January 1945: Absent Without Leave (A.W.L.) from 23:59 hours.
- 13th March 1945: Apprehended by Civil Police and held in custody at Porthcawl (shooting of Lily Griffiths).
- 13th March 1945: S.O.S. 4th L.A.A. Regt. R.C.A. on transfer to #1 C.A.H.U.
- 14th March 1945: T.O.S. #1 C.A.H.U.
- 5th September 1945: S.O.S. C.A.S.F. (Overseas) deceased (Judicial Hanging).
Campaign Medals:
- 1939 – 1945 Star: The 1939-1945 Star was awarded for service between 03 September 1939 and 02 September 1945.
- France and Germany Star: The France and Germany Star was awarded for one or more days of service in France, Belgium, Holland or Germany between 06 June 1944 (D-Day) and 08 May 1945.
- Defence Medal: The Defence Medal was awarded for 1,080 days of service in Canada or 180 days of service outside Canada between 03 September 1939 and 02 September 1945.
- Canadian Volunteer Service Medal: The CVSM was awarded to all ranks of the Military Forces of Canada who voluntarily served on Active Service and honourably completed eighteen months (540 days) total voluntary service from September 3, 1939 to March 1, 1947. A silver bar (often called a clasp), a maple leaf at its centre was awarded for 60 days service outside Canada. A silver maple leaf is worn on the ribbon in undress.
- War Medal 1939 – 1945: The War Medal was awarded to all full-time personnel of the armed forces and merchant marines for serving for 28 days between 03 September 1939 and 02 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea.