Adam M Posted 23 June , 2006 Share Posted 23 June , 2006 On June 22nd 1915 my grandfather made a note in his diary... "Came across the grave of Capt. Grenfell VC in Vlamertinghe." Any information on Capt. Grenfell VC would be useful background for me. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 23 June , 2006 Share Posted 23 June , 2006 The Grenfell's are a well known Greenjackets family. I believe that Joyce Grenfell was an American, from Virginia, who married into the family. See here: http://grenfell.history.users.btopenworld....us_grenfell.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 24 June , 2006 Share Posted 24 June , 2006 GRENFELL, Francis Octavus Captain. 9th Lancers (Queen's Royal) London Gazetted on 16th November, 1914 VC Medal's Custodian is 9th/12 Lancers Museum, The Strand, Derby (Reg HQ) Born on 4th September, 1880 at Hatchlands, Guildford, Surrey Died on 24th May 1915 at Hooge, Belgium. (killed in action) Memorial on grave at Hooge, Belgium. Citation reads: On 24th August, 1914 at Audregnies, Belgium, Captain Grenfell rode with the Regiment in a charge against a large body of unbroken German infantry. The casualties and were very heavy and the captain was left as the senior officer. He was rallying part of the regiment behind a railway embankment when he was twice hit and severely wounded. In spite of his injuries, however, when asked for help in saving the guns, by the commander of the 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, he and some volunteers, under a hail of bullets, help to manhandle and push the guns out a range of enemy fire. You might want to have a look here too (not much, but it might help) ---> Grenfell Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 24 June , 2006 Share Posted 24 June , 2006 There were prominent Grenfell's in Swansea in the 19th Century - no idea if a branch of the same family. We have a Grenfell Park Estate and I think one of the family was an army type who served in Egypt and brought back lots of Egyptian stuff which is now in Swansea University Egyptian Centre. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 24 June , 2006 Share Posted 24 June , 2006 Here's a bit of useless info for you - Joyce Grenfell, the actress, although American born, married into Francis Grenfell's family. Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 24 June , 2006 Share Posted 24 June , 2006 Here's a bit of useless info for you - Joyce Grenfell, the actress, although American born, married into Francis Grenfell's family. Les There are lots of Grenfell's, mostly related if officers in the Greenjackets. During WW2 my father was in 2nd QVRs (8th KRRC). His officer was a Lt The Lord St Just. His actual name was Peter Grenfell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 24 June , 2006 Share Posted 24 June , 2006 There were prominent Grenfell's in Swansea in the 19th Century - no idea if a branch of the same family. We have a Grenfell Park Estate and I think one of the family was an army type who served in Egypt and brought back lots of Egyptian stuff which is now in Swansea University Egyptian Centre. Bernard Bernard Same family: http://grenfell.history.users.btopenworld....is_grenfell.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 24 June , 2006 Share Posted 24 June , 2006 Thanks for that - I'd not looked at your earlier link. Doh. The Grenfell Park Estate sits on the lower part of Kilvey Hill and includes a park - Maesteg Park. So that's all the i's dotted and t's crossed! How'd you find that link? Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 24 June , 2006 Share Posted 24 June , 2006 Thanks for that - I'd not looked at your earlier link. Doh. The Grenfell Park Estate sits on the lower part of Kilvey Hill and includes a park - Maesteg Park. So that's all the i's dotted and t's crossed! How'd you find that link? Bernard Go to my original posted link, then go back to see the rest of the family history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinglma Posted 24 June , 2006 Share Posted 24 June , 2006 This painting shows Captain Grenfell, 9th Lancers winning the VC at Audregnies, Belgium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam M Posted 6 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 6 July , 2006 Thanks for everyones contributions. I feel suitably educated. Very interesting. Adam M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 8 July , 2006 Share Posted 8 July , 2006 Adam, On 24th August a former member of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, Captain Francis Grenfell of the 9th Lancers, greatly distinguished himself during the first day of the British Retreat in an action that was to result in his name appearing in the opening list of First World War VC recipients published in the London Gazette on 16th November 1914. While still in Belgium, Captain Grenfell took part in a cavalry charge against a large body of German Infantry at Audregnies. The casualties among the men and horse were heavy and he was left as the senior officer. While rallying part of theRegiment behind a railway embankment, he was twice hit in the hand and thigh and seriously wounded. In spite of his injuries, when asked for help in saving a battery of guns, he and several volunteers, under a hail of bullets, manhandled the guns out of range of German fire. Francis Grenfell was a nephew of Field Marshall Lord Grenfell (KRRC). He was educated at Eton and became an internationally renowned Polo player and a leading Steeplechase rider. He initially joined the Seaforth Highlanders, accompanying them to Cairo, before transferring to The Kings Royal Rifle Corps in May 1901. He served with the Regiment in the Second South African Boer War and in India with 2nd KRRC, before transferring to the 9th Lancers in May 1905. He was killed at Hooge, near Ypres, on 24th May 1915, aged 34. His twin brother, Riversdale (Rivy) Grenfell, a Royal Buckinghamshire Hussar (Territorial) attached to the 9th Lancers, was killed a few months earlier. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 8 July , 2006 Share Posted 8 July , 2006 Not the best image, but !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 31 December , 2006 Share Posted 31 December , 2006 Some information and a question. There is a Grenfell Family website, which contains a brief biography about Captain Francis Octavius Grenfell, VC: http://grenfell.history.users.btopenworld....us_grenfell.htm I have just finished reading John Buchan's tribute to the Grenfell twins 'Francis and Riversdale Grenfell', both of whom were killed early in the war. There is a lot of material about Francis, which is based on his diaries and letters. The question: does anyone know if Captain Francis Grenfell's diaries are held in a publicly accessible collection? (not to be mistaken with the diaries of his uncle, Field Marshal Francis Grenfell (Lord Grenfell)). Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 31 December , 2006 Share Posted 31 December , 2006 The site of Grenfell's charge at Audregnies can be visited today and, armed with a decent map, the action can easily be followed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 31 December , 2006 Share Posted 31 December , 2006 John Buchan wrote a nice memorial volume to both Francis and Riversdale Grenfell - the Llatter buried at Vendresse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforth78 Posted 3 November , 2012 Share Posted 3 November , 2012 Incidentlly, Francis's elder brother, Robert Septimus Grenfell, 12th Lancers, fell at Omdurman attached with the 21st Lancers. Their uncle was Sirdar of the Egyptian Army. Yes, these Grenfells do get around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 25 August , 2014 Share Posted 25 August , 2014 An account of the unveiling - with a short video - of the unveiling of the centenary VC stone for Capt Francis Grenfell VC in Guildford yesterday (24th August '14) Click. It's been mentioned previously that he had a twin brother, but from the photograph accompanying the article, it looks as if they may have been identical. NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tharkin56 Posted 25 August , 2014 Share Posted 25 August , 2014 Form a forthcoming Polo and the Great War Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted 20 October , 2015 Share Posted 20 October , 2015 Just as a matter of interest for researchers While compiling the 19 thousand+ - soldiers who were admitted to Hospitals on the Island of Ireland from 1914-1918 I came across a Capt Grenfell who was admitted to St Vincent's Hospital Dublin on the 14th November 1914. I wonder is it the Same Grenfell who was awarded the VC Gerry Capt Grenfell.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnumbellum Posted 20 October , 2015 Share Posted 20 October , 2015 Here's a bit of useless info for you - Joyce Grenfell, the actress, although American born, married into Francis Grenfell's family. Joyce Grenfell (1910-79), was born in London, not USA, although her mother was American born. She married Reginald Pascoe Grenfell (1903-93), one of the celebrated Grenfell family. Another branch of the Grenfell family lived in Maidenhead, Berkshire, of which the best known scion was Julian Henry Francis Grenfell (1883-1915), son of Lord Desborough, poet, killed in the Great War. That branch also created a Grenfell Park, in Maidenhead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Underwood Posted 20 October , 2015 Share Posted 20 October , 2015 On our Buckinghamshire Remembers website there are details of 4 members of the Grenfell family - Julian, Gerald (Billy), Francis and Riversdale. There are some interesting, unfinished paintings that we saw at Taplow Court, Bucks - the home of Julian and Billy. June Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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