Beschreibung:

THE GRENFELL FAMILY MEDALS ‘He was all that you could have desired and all that our race needs to keep its honour fair and bright.’ Winston Churchill in a letter of condolence to Lord and Lady Desborough, the parents of Captain Hon. Julian Grenfell, D.S.O. The important and poignant Great War B.E.F. 1914 operations D.S.O. group of five awarded to Captain Hon. J. H. F. Grenfell, 1st Royal Dragoons, the noted war poet whose “Into Battle” received critical acclaim on being published by The Times on his death from wounds in May 1915 and became one of the most anthologized poems of the century - ‘Brother, brother, if this be the last song you shall sing, sing well, for you may not sing another; Brother, sing’: more controversial was his declaration that he adored war - ‘It’s like a big picnic without the objectlessness of a picnic’ - but his fearless example in battle and marksmanship as a sniper won him the admiration of all, including Lord Kitchener who is said to have lost his composure on hearing of the poet’s demise Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue; 1914 Star (Lt. Hon. J. H. F. Grenfell, 1/Dns.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt. Hon. J. H. F. Grenfell); Coronation 1902, silver, in its Elkington & Co. case of issue, together with two Royal Dragoons badges, the campaign medals with original silk ribands, in base of box of issue and with related envelopes, virtually as issued The Great War campaign medals awarded to his younger brother, 2nd Lieutenant the Hon. G. W. “Billy” Grenfell, The Rifle Brigade, who was killed by machine-gun fire while leading a counter-attack at Hooge in July 1915: like his brother a formidable boxer, and one of the great scholars of his generation, one of his wartime verses was also published by The Times 1914-15 Star (2 Lieut. Hon. G. W. Grenfell, Rif. Brig.); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut. G. W. Grenfell), with original silk ribands and official forwarding letter, virtually as issued A presentation shield for swimming awarded to their sister, the Hon. Monica Grenfell, who served as a V.A.D and Red Cross nurse, and who was present at Julian’s death Large bronze shield with central medallion depicting lady swimmers at the pool side, with surround inscription, ‘Ladies General Excellence Swimming - Challenge Shield’, and embossed plaque below, ‘Presented by the Members of the Bath Club, 1895’, and silver plaque at top, engraved ‘Won by Monica Grenfell, 1908-9-10’, and embossed laurel wreath decoration to sides, 22cm. by 17cm., affixed to a polished wooden shield (Lot) £12000-15000 Footnote D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1915: ‘On 15 November 1914 he succeeded in reaching a point behind the enemy’s trenches and making an excellent reconnaissance, furnishing early information of an impending attack by the enemy.’ Julian Henry Francis Grenfell was born at 4, St. James’s Square, London, in March 1888, the elder son of William Henry 1st Baron Desborough, K.C.V.O., and Ethel Priscilla, daughter of the Hon. Julian Henry Charles Fane, and grand daughter of John, 11th Earl of Westmorland. All round sportsman and emerging poet Educated at Summerfields, Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, young Julian was a multi talented sportsman, his prowess as an athlete, boxer, horseman and oar being equalled by his reputation as a good shot, for as one biographer saw it, ‘he linked his belief to all the physical activities that he so much loved’. But from an early age he had also shown a talent for poetry, often including verse in his letters home and, in support of his love for the outdoors life, and loathing of the social gatherings favoured by his mother, once jested in a letter he sent from Eton - ‘I won’t go woman-hunting yet, I won’t be made a social pet!’ To his contemporaries at Oxford, he was a super-hero: ‘Julian did everything and shone in them all. He rowed, and he hunted, and he read and he roared with laughter, and he c