Francis Grenfell

September 4, 1880 (age 34)

Surrey, South East England, United Kingdom

He was one of fifteen children. He had a twin brother, Riversdale Grenfell, also in the 9th Lancers, who was killed in action in September 1914. An older brother, Lieutenant Robert Septimus Grenfell, 21st (Empress of India"s) Lancers, was killed in a cavalry charge during the Battle of Omdurman in 1898. Three other brothers, Cecil Grenfell, Howard Maxwell Grenfell and Arthur Morton Grenfell all reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army. An Etonian who represented his school at cricket, Grenfell joined the army in 1899 and first served in the Second Boer War in the King"s Royal Rifle Corps. Grenfell was 33 years old, and a Captain in the 9th (Queen"s Royal) Lancers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed during the Action of Elouges took place for which he was awarded the Venture capital. On 24 August 1914 at Audregnies, Belgium, Captain Grenfell rode with the regiment in a charge against a large body of unbroken German infantry. The casualties 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 Major Ernest Wright Alexander of the 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, he and some volunteers, under a hail of bullets, helped to manhandle and push the guns out of range of enemy fire. The citation was gazetted on 16 September 1914 and read: Foreign gallantry in action against unbroken infantry at Andregnies, Belgium, on 24th August 1914, and for gallant conduct in assisting to save the guns of the 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, near Doubon the same day. He was killed in action on 24 May 1915 and is buried in the Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery. Francis was rated at an 8-goal handicap.

Francis Grenfell

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Background

He was born on 4 September 1880 to Sophia and Pascoe Du Pré Grenfell.

Education

Eton College.

Career

He was one of fifteen children. He had a twin brother, Riversdale Grenfell, also in the 9th Lancers, who was killed in action in September 1914. An older brother, Lieutenant Robert Septimus Grenfell, 21st (Empress of India"s) Lancers, was killed in a cavalry charge during the Battle of Omdurman in 1898.

Three other brothers, Cecil Grenfell, Howard Maxwell Grenfell and Arthur Morton Grenfell all reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army.

An Etonian who represented his school at cricket, Grenfell joined the army in 1899 and first served in the Second Boer War in the King"s Royal Rifle Corps. Grenfell was 33 years old, and a Captain in the 9th (Queen"s Royal) Lancers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed during the Action of Elouges took place for which he was awarded the Venture capital. On 24 August 1914 at Audregnies, Belgium, Captain Grenfell rode with the regiment in a charge against a large body of unbroken German infantry.

The casualties 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 Major Ernest Wright Alexander of the 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, he and some volunteers, under a hail of bullets, helped to manhandle and push the guns out of range of enemy fire.

The citation was gazetted on 16 September 1914 and read:

Foreign gallantry in action against unbroken infantry at Andregnies, Belgium, on 24th August 1914, and for gallant conduct in assisting to save the guns of the 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, near Doubon the same day. He was killed in action on 24 May 1915 and is buried in the Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery. Francis was rated at an 8-goal handicap.

Achievements

His is displayed at the Regimental Museum of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers housed in Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Derby, England. All nine of the Grenfell brothers were accomplished polo players. The twin brothers were on the Ranelagh team that won the American Open and on the team Freebooters, alongside Leopold Christian Duncan Jenner and the Duke of Roxburghe, that won the Hurlingham Champion Cup.

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