Town Unveils Memorial to VC Hero of the Great War, Born in Guildford

Published on: 25 Aug, 2014
Updated on: 29 Aug, 2014

Flowers left for the First World War hero who was the first officer to win the VC in the conflict.

By Ruchi Srivastava

Guildford honoured one of its World War One heroes yesterday (August 24) exactly one hundred years after he he won a Victoria Cross.

On a slightly chilly but bright Sunday morning, dozens of Guildford citizens came together and joined twenty members of the Grenfell family to celebrate and honour the daring actions of Captain Francis Grenfell VC, who was born at Hatchlands near Guildford.

Members from the 9th/12th Lancers Prince of Wales’s Regiment, the successor regiment of the 9th Lancers to which Captain Grenfelll belonged, were also in attendance.

Members of the … the successor regiment to Capt Grenfell’s 9th Lancers.

The ceremony honouring the hero cavalryman took place at Tunsgate Arch on Guildford High Street, where a crowd made up of both younger and older generations gathered to pay their respects to a brave man.

Captain Grenfell was the first officer recipient of the prestigious Victoria Cross in World War One. He has now been honoured with a memorial paving stone at Tunsgate which bears his name. It was unveiled by the Mayor of Guildford, Cllr David Elms. Great War VC winners are being commemorated across the whole country as part of a government scheme.

Capt Grenfells medals brought to the ceremony by the soldiers present at the ceremony.

Beginning at 11am, the traditional hour of remembrance, a brief, poignant ceremony captured some of the memories and emotion associated with the First World War. A brief description of Captain Grenfell and his service to the nation was read out, Last Post and Reveille were sounded by buglers and the national anthem was sung.

The Victoria Cross was awarded for Grenfell’s part in an action at Audreginies in Belgium to recover artillery that had fallen into German hands. In the brief period before trench warfare took hold cavalry units were still able to be active and effective. See also: Hero Lancer Who Recaptured British Guns From The Enemy

Speaking about this important event, the Guildford portfolio holder for the First World War commemorations, Cllr Matt Furniss said: “We are honoured to commemorate the life of a local World War One hero, Captain Francis Grenfelll. The ceremony marks the sacrifice that he made, along with many others in World War One.”