Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
- Biography -
- Arthur Ernest Tosdevin -

Isle of Wight County Press, 28 August 1915

THE ISLAND TERRITORIAL RIFLES IN ACTION

WOUNDED
...
1979 Lce-Corpl. A.E. Tosdevin, Newport.
...

Lce-Corpl. A.E. Tosdevin is a nephew of Mr. A. Tosdevin, of Hunnyhill, Newport, with whom he resided. He was a clerk in the offices of Messr. Buckell and Drew, Solictors, Newport, and joined up immediately after the outbreak of war. His late father was a Colour-Sergt. in the Hants Regt., a native of Carisbrooke.

Isle of Wight County Press, 28 August 1915

THRILLING STORY OF THE BATTLE BY NEWPORT MAN

Lce-Corpl. A.E. Tosdevin, nephew of Mr. A. Tosdevin, of Hunnyhill, Newport, who has been wounded, writes the following thrilling account: I am sorry I have not been able to send you a letter before. I wrote one but did not have a chance to post it before we went into action, and now it lies, with three or four more, in my haversack on the battlefield. The Rifles first went under fire last Tuesday, and were under it for two days, without losing a man. I did not go up into the firing line until Thursday, as I was kept back at headquarters with the guard until Wednesday afternoon. We disembarked where a new landing had been forced three or four days previously. I joined my Company at 4 o'clock inthe afternoon, and soon after we had orders to advance. Percy (Lce-Corpl. Boxall, whose letter appears above) and I went into action side by side. The Turks soon discovered us and began popping away with their machine guns and heavy artillery. After a while it became hell. Bullets and shrapnel came from three sides at once, and the Rifles, who were leading the attack on the hills in front, got it hot. There were also hills at the sides defended by thousands of the enemy, who were pouring in a cross-fire. If the people of the Wight could have seen their lads then, they would have been proud of them. They went into that hellish fire laughing, smoking, and joking. They feared the ridicule of their comrades more than the bullets, and refrained from ducking. Their eagerness and dash got them into trouble, for they were far ahead of the regiments on either side. After we had gone about three miles I got in the way of a bullet, which went clean through my left shoulder, and destroyed the use of my left arm. It knocked me over in the open, and I had to lie low for a while. It was not until then that I got a bit "funky" of the bullets, but I think there was an excuse for that. It was marvellous how I escaped death. I reckon I went within half an inch of it fifty times. After a while I managed to crawl foot by foot back to a tree, where I attempted to dress my wound. The hail of bullets was just as heavy and one shell came along and took off a branch just above my head. Eventually I started off back for the hospital. It took me seven hours to get there. I lost everything on the way and reached the hospital with half a shirt, my trousers, and boots only. I can give you no news whatsoever of Percy. I saw him a couple of seconds before I was wounded, but, of course, he had to continue advancing. Only 314 of the battalion went into action that day, and I do not think many came back unhurt. I am now 10 miles away from the Peninsula on an island, and am expecting to be moved to Alexandria today. I go down to meet every new batch of wounded to see if my chums are there, or anyone with news of them, but my enquiries have been futile. I hear that the remainder of the battalion are being held in reserve.

Isle of Wight County Press, 11 December 1915

ISLE OF WIGHT RIFLES AT GALLIPOLI

WOUNDED AND MISSING
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Lce-Corpl. A. Tosdevin, D Co., Newport.
...

Lce-Cpl. A. Tosdevin, D Co., nephew of Mr. A. J. Tosdevin, of Ripton, Albany-road, Newport, is officially reported as wounded a second time and also missing on November 7th. A letter received from him three weeks ago stated that he was all right. He was first wounded through the shoulder. He was also in hospital with jaundice, but he recovered, and had been back in the trenches about a month, when he was wounded again.