Rutland’s first casualty

This week sees the hundredth anniversary of the death of Rutland’s first casualty. Our basic information about Major Arthur Hughes-Onslow, a retired soldier and keen huntsman, came from Rutland and the Great War. But Major Arthur’s great great grandson has been in touch to tell us a little more – and what a sad story it is.

He tells us Major Arthur actually shot himself on the way over to France after rejoining the army because he couldn’t bear the idea of the suffering which would inevitably engulf so many horses.

The Western Front Association has written up his story with a number of photographs and there’s a link to this on his page here. It’s well worth reading and shows how a highly distinguished retired soldier struggled with his concience, knowing far better than others, what lay ahead.