Captain Francis Grenfell VC

Francis Octavius Grenfell was born on 4 Sep 1880, at Hatchlands, Guildford, Surrey. He had a twin brother, Riversdale Nonus Grenfell. His father was Pascoe du Pré Grenfell, a financier who was involved in American railroads. His mother was Sophia Grenfell, cousin to Pascoe; she and Pascoe had 13 children of which Francis and Riversdale were the last. The parents died in 1896 and 1898 so that Francis was under the care of his uncle Field Marshal Francis, Lord Grenfell. He was educated at Eton from 1894, and commissioned into the 3rd Bn Seaforth Highlanders but became ill with typhoid. He travelled to South Africa and was in Egypt for 4 months before transferring as a 2nd lieutenant to the 4th Bn KRRC on 4 May 1901 while they were in Malta. He served as ADC to the Governor, his uncle, Lord Grenfell (Governor of Malta 1899-1903). He then served in the latter stages of the Boer War earning a Queen’s Medal with four clasps. He was posted to India with the 9th Lancers from 1905 to 1907, promoted to lieutenant on 6 May 1905 and captain on 7 Sep 1912. He was a skilled linguist, speaking French, German and Hindustani. He had studied German in Berlin and observed German military exercises.
Captain F O Grenfell was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry in action against unbroken infantry at Audregnies, Belgium on 24 August 1914, and for gallant conduct in assisting to save the guns of the 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, near Doubon the same day. This citation was published in the London Gazette on 16 Nov 1914.
The 24th August 1914 was the first day of action in World War One for the 9th Lancers. The regimental history says the Ninth first saw action near Audregnies on the 24th, when at daybreak Captain F.O. Grenfell’s B Squadron moved forward to investigate Thulin and the country beyond, and found the Germans in possession of the canal bridge to the north. They were greeted with a warm fire which wounded Captain Nash-Wortham and some troopers. The squadron fell back fighting sturdily on to the main body on the high ground south of the village, and German infantry debouching rashly out along the Elouges road in column of route, were caught by the regiment’s fire, suffering severe losses and were compelled to halt and deploy in haste. The further advance was not vigorously pressed, and about 9am the Ninth in accordance with orders retired at a leisurely gait through Elouges towards Audregnies, their rearguard finding ample cover amid sunken roads, light railways and slag heaps with which the area abounded, effectively holding pursuit at a respectful distance.
But the cavalry withdrawal left the 5th Division uncovered. Long lines of German infantry soon appeared advancing south-west against the left of the 5th Division’s flankguard, which was hurriedly closing in on the right of the cavalry along the Elouges-Audregnies road. At this critical juncture General de Lisle came galloping up and cried out to Lt-Col Campbell: “I’m going to charge the enemy. I’ll tell the 4th Dragoon Guards in the village to make an attack on your left. As soon as you see them debouch, attack on the right with at least two squadrons.” This charge failed to close with the enemy owing to the nature of the ground which was interspersed with sunken lanes, railway cuttings and wire fences. They were within 450 metres of the enemy and came under heavy fire from artillery and small arms fire. Grenfell kept B Squadron together. They took cover behind small slag heaps and around the sugar factory, where they dismounted and engaged the enemy with their rifles. About 2.30pm the Germans resumed the attack, and the 9th Lancers were forced to retire towards Elouges under cover of a railway embankment. Grenfell chose to ride along the embankment and was wounded in the hand and thigh. Earlier his horse had been killed while bullets passed through his boots and tunic. But the actions of the cavalry had checked the enemy’s advance long enough to allow the 5th Division’s flankguard to establish itself firmly in position. The retreat of the division thus took place without molestation.
The 119th Field Battery had detached guns placed near the railway embankment south-west of Elouges. The few surviving gunners were struggling to man-handle them to a sheltered position to avoid the storm of German shells and bullets. Captain Grenfell offered the help of the men of the Ninth and the offer was gratefully accepted. A volunteer party of 11 officers and many men set to work. Grenfell wrote in his diary,
‘We ran forward and started pushing the guns out, and Providence intervened for, though this was carried out under a very heavy fire and the guns had to be slowly turned round before we could guide them, we accomplished our task. We pushed out one over dead gunners, and I do not think we lost more than three or four men, though it required more than one journey to get everything out. It is on occasions like this that good discipline tells.The men were so wonderful and steady that words fail me to say what I think of them and how much is due to my Colonel [Campbell] for the high standard to which he had raised this magnificent regiment.'
Lt-Col Campbell was recommended for the VC but it was not followed up. Grenfell was evacuated for treatment and he learned of the death of his twin brother, Riversdale Grenfell which occurred on 14 Sep 1914. Francis Grenfell returned to the front but was wounded again, in the thigh, at Messines, on 31 Oct 1914. He was sent to Dublin and on 22 Feb 1915 received his Victoria Cross from King George V at Buckingham Palace. He rejoined the regiment at Meteren, Belgium, but on 24 May 1915 he was shot in the back and died half an hour later. The photo shows Grenfell in the dress uniform of the 9th Lancers in the rank of lieutenant c 1905, wearing his Queen's medal for the Boer War with four clasps.

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