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⚫ {{Short description|Recipient of the Victoria Cross}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox military person {{Infobox military person
|name= Godfrey Meynell |name= Godfrey Meynell
|honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|VC|MC}}
⚫ |birth_date=30 May 1904
|image=
⚫ |death_date= 29 September 1935
⚫ |caption=
⚫ |birth_date= 20 May 1904
⚫ |death_date= 29 September 1935 (aged 31)
|birth_place= ], ] |birth_place= ], ]
|death_place=], ], ] |death_place=] (citation), Nahaaqi Pass, Khyber Pass, British "India" now Pakistan.
|placeofburial=Guides Chapel, ] |placeofburial= Guides Chapel, ]
⚫ |nickname=
|image= Victoria Cross Medal without Bar.png
⚫ |allegiance= United Kingdom
⚫ |caption=
⚫ |branch= ]
⚫ |nickname=
⚫ |serviceyears= 1926–1935
⚫ |allegiance= {{UK}}
⚫ |rank= ]
⚫ |serviceyears= 1926 - 1935
⚫ |unit= ]
⚫ |rank=]
⚫ |branch=]
|commands= |commands=
⚫ |unit=]
|battles=] |battles=]
|awards= ]<br>] |awards= ]<br />]
|laterwork= |laterwork=
|relations=] (son) |relations= Godfrey Meynell (1st son) <br /> ] (2nd son)
}} }}
'''Godfrey Meynell''' ] ] (30 May 1904 – 29 September 1935) was an ] recipient of the ], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to ] and ] forces. '''Godfrey Meynell''' (20 May 1904 – 29 September 1935) was a ] officer and an English recipient of the ], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and ] forces.


==Early life and education==
==Background==
Meynell was the son of an army officer and won a scholarship to ]. He was commended to ] when he arrived there as a boy with character. After an initial amount of bullying, the two became firm friends as described in ].<ref>Cyril Connolly ''Enemies of Promise'' Routledge & Kegan Paul 1938</ref> He had passed out thirteenth at Sandhurst before volunteering for the ]. He was awarded the ] in 1933 for his work in ]<ref></ref> Meynell was the son of an army officer who was also named Godfrey Meynell, by his wife Edith Violet Cammell. He won a scholarship to ]. He was commended to ] when he arrived there as a boy with character. After an initial amount of bullying by Meynell of Connolly{{cn|date=February 2024}} the two became firm friends as described in '']''.<ref>Cyril Connolly ''Enemies of Promise'' Routledge & Kegan Paul 1938</ref>{{pn|date=February 2024}}


==Details of award== ==Military career==
Meynell had graduated 13th at Sandhurst before he volunteered for the ].{{cn|date=February 2024}} He was awarded the ] in 1933 for his work in ].<ref></ref>
⚫ Godfrey Meynell was thirty-one years old, and a ] in the 5th Battalion (]), ], ] during the ] in ].
⚫ On 29 September 1935 at ], in the Nahaqi Pass within the ] on the ], ] (now ]), in the final phase of an attack, Captain Meynell, seeking information on the most forward troops, found them involved in a struggle against an enemy vastly superior in numbers. He at once took command, and with two ]s and about thirty men, maintained a heavy and accurate fire on the advancing enemy, whose overwhelming numbers nevertheless succeeded in reaching the position and putting the Lewis guns out of action. In the hand-to-hand struggle which ensued, Captain Meynell was mortally wounded, but the heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy prevented them from exploiting their success.<ref></ref>


===Victoria Cross===
Regimental records suggest that when the bodies of his men were mutilated by the enemy (as was their custom), Captain Meynell sought to defend those bodies even as he himself was dying.
⚫ Meynell was thirty-one years old, and a ] in the 5th Battalion (]), ] during the ] in ]. He married "Jill", Sophia Patricia (Jill) Lowis, at the Guides Chapel in Mardan on 31 January 1933; both were speakers of Urdu. Their eldest son Godfrey was born on 20 July 1934.{{cn|date=February 2024}}


⚫ On 29 September 1935 at ], in the Nahaqi Pass within the ] on the ], in the final phase of an attack, Meynell, seeking information on the most forward troops, found them involved in a struggle against an enemy vastly superior in numbers. He at once took command, and with two ]s and about thirty men, maintained a heavy and accurate fire on the advancing enemy, whose overwhelming numbers nevertheless succeeded in reaching the position and putting the Lewis guns out of action. In the hand-to-hand struggle which ensued, Meynell was mortally wounded, but the heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy prevented them from exploiting their success.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue= 34235|date=29 October 1920|page=8291 }}</ref>
Captain Meynell’s Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously, and given to his widow at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in July 1936. His body is laid to rest at the Guides Chapel in ], near ] in the North West Frontier Province, where he and his wife were married. Captain Meynell and his wife, Sophia Patricia (Jill) Meynell, were both speakers of Urdu. Meynell's son ] was born six months after the death in the incident for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

His body is laid to rest at the Guides Chapel in ], near ] in the North West Frontier Province (of what is now Pakistan), where he and his wife were married.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

Three months after he was killed, news of the award of the VC arrived at Meynell Langley on 24 December 1935. Three months later their second son, ], was born on 24 March 1936. His widow received the VC at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 14 July 1936, the only one to be handed out by Edward VIII.{{cn|date=February 2024}}


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist|30em}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see ]. -->
| NAME =Meynell, Godfrey
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
⚫ | SHORT DESCRIPTION = Recipient of the Victoria Cross
| DATE OF BIRTH = 30 May 1904
| PLACE OF BIRTH = ], ]
| DATE OF DEATH = 29 September 1935
| PLACE OF DEATH = ], ], ]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meynell, Godfrey}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Meynell, Godfrey}}
] ]
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] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]

Latest revision as of 10:42, 6 November 2024

Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Godfrey Meynell
VC MC
Born20 May 1904
Meynell Langley, Derbyshire
Died29 September 1935 (aged 31)
Point 4080 (citation), Nahaaqi Pass, Khyber Pass, British "India" now Pakistan.
BuriedGuides Chapel, Mardan, NWFP, British "India" now Pakistan, (the address of Guides Chapel in Mardan).
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Indian Army
Years of service1926–1935
RankCaptain
Unit12th Frontier Force Regiment
Battles / wars1935 Mohmand Campaign
AwardsVictoria Cross
Military Cross
RelationsGodfrey Meynell (1st son)
Hugo Anthony Meynell (2nd son)

Godfrey Meynell (20 May 1904 – 29 September 1935) was a British Indian Army officer and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life and education

Meynell was the son of an army officer who was also named Godfrey Meynell, by his wife Edith Violet Cammell. He won a scholarship to Eton College. He was commended to Cyril Connolly when he arrived there as a boy with character. After an initial amount of bullying by Meynell of Connolly the two became firm friends as described in Enemies of Promise.

Military career

Meynell had graduated 13th at Sandhurst before he volunteered for the British Indian Army. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1933 for his work in Chitral.

Victoria Cross

Meynell was thirty-one years old, and a captain in the 5th Battalion (Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides), 12th Frontier Force Regiment during the 1935 Mohmand Campaign in British India. He married "Jill", Sophia Patricia (Jill) Lowis, at the Guides Chapel in Mardan on 31 January 1933; both were speakers of Urdu. Their eldest son Godfrey was born on 20 July 1934.

On 29 September 1935 at Mohmand, in the Nahaqi Pass within the Khyber Pass on the North West Frontier, in the final phase of an attack, Meynell, seeking information on the most forward troops, found them involved in a struggle against an enemy vastly superior in numbers. He at once took command, and with two Lewis guns and about thirty men, maintained a heavy and accurate fire on the advancing enemy, whose overwhelming numbers nevertheless succeeded in reaching the position and putting the Lewis guns out of action. In the hand-to-hand struggle which ensued, Meynell was mortally wounded, but the heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy prevented them from exploiting their success.

His body is laid to rest at the Guides Chapel in Mardan, near Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province (of what is now Pakistan), where he and his wife were married.

Three months after he was killed, news of the award of the VC arrived at Meynell Langley on 24 December 1935. Three months later their second son, Hugo Anthony Meynell, was born on 24 March 1936. His widow received the VC at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 14 July 1936, the only one to be handed out by Edward VIII.

References

  1. Cyril Connolly Enemies of Promise Routledge & Kegan Paul 1938
  2. London Gazette
  3. "No. 34235". The London Gazette. 29 October 1920. p. 8291.
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