O’Donnel Colley Grattan DSO

O’Connel Colley Grattan was born in Crawley, Sussex on 13 June 1855. He was the son of Henry Colley Grattan and Lucy Nugent Grattan. After Sandhurst he was commissioned as a lieutenant into the 8th King’s Regiment on 10 Mar 1877. He served in the 2nd Afghan War of 1878-80 and was present in the operations in the Kurram Valley. He took part in the storming of Peiwar Kotal on 2 Dec 1878, and the battle at Ali Kheyl. He was promoted to captain on 20 Sep 1882 and major on 26 Oct 1892.
He served in the South African War from 1899-1900 and was with the 1st Battalion for the operations at Rietfontein, Lombards Kop and the Defence of Ladysmith. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 17 Feb 1900 and given command of the 2nd Battalion. He was also mentioned in Despatches and gazetted to be a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order on 27 Sep 1901. The insignia was presented to him by the King on 29 Oct 1901. He was awarded the brevet of Colonel in Feb 1904 and in 1909 appointed Brigade Commander of 1st West Riding Infantry Brigade. He was called up in 1914 to raise and train 61st Brigade, 20th Light Division. In 1915 he commanded 3rd Line West Lancashire Division. At the end of the War he was in command of a Prisoner of War camp.
He married Helen Randall Le Poer Trench on 4 Jan 1877 and had a daughter, Gladys Norah. He died in 1929. The photo was taken by Bassano on 14 June 1915 and is from the National Portrait Gallery. The rank badges on his shoulder straps are a baton crossed with a sword to denote brigadier-general.

Regimental Details | Commanding Officers