Swansea Connection and Victoria Cross Winners 4

This final blog with Swansea connections to Victoria Cross winners, if that of Francis Octavious Grenfell. His connections with Swansea is a family connections. All will be explained!

Grenfell born 1880, Surrey, son to Sophia and Pascoe de Grenfell. He had a twin brother, Riversdale Grenfell, who was killed in the September 1914.

Grenfell's uncle was Francis Wallace Grenfell, 1st Baron of Swansea. More about him shortly.

Grenfell at the time of the outbreak of the First World War was a Captain, with the 9th (Queens Royal) Lancers, saw action on 29th August 1914 which saw him being awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation for the Victoria Cross reads

"For 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"

Grennfell was killed in action on the 24th May 1915, and is buried at Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery.

We have to turn out attentions to the River Tawe, Swansea. Along the banks was the the Pascoe Grenfell & Sons Copper Works, established by Pascoe Grenfell, St. Leger St. Leger, 1st Viscount Doneraile. By the time of the death of Pascoe Grenfell, in 1838. The business was taken by Pascoe St. Leger Grenfell. His beliefs were moderate approaches to human labour, free trade, health and education. His son was Francis Wallace Grenfell

Grenfell was born 1841, Swansea. He was an army officer, seeing action in 9th Xhosa War, Anglo-Zulu War, Anglo-Egyptian War. He was promoted to Commander-in-Chief, commanding troops during the Mahdist War. Later he became Governor of Malta and then Commander-in-Chief, Ireland retiring in 1908. Dying in 1925. Today, Julian Grenfell is the 3rd Baron Grenfell

On the 1902 Coronation Honour, Grenfell was created Baron Grenfell. Grenfell brought back to Swansea Mummy, Tem Hor, donated to Swansea Museum, 1888.

Its Grenfell's sister Mary, who helped those people living at St. Thomas. She provided housing for those workers. Also establishing the church All Saint, at St. Thomas, built in memory of her father.

It is in this church, All Saints, that there is a memorial to all those who gave their lives for the First World War, from the local area of St. Thomas and also commemorated is Francis O. Grenfell VC. This memorial is also under threat of being lost forever.

Few of the Grenfell family are buried at the local cemetery, Danygraig Cemetery, St. Thomas