KING EDWARD VIII. (1936)

King Edward the VIII held only one Investiture of the Victoria Cross. This medal was presented, posthumously, to the widow of Captain Godfrey Meynell, of the Corps of Guides, 12th Frontier Force Regiment of The Indian Army.

 

 

Captain Godfrey MEYNELL

Captain. Corps of Guides, 12th Frontier Force Regiment, Indian Army.

Victoria Cross London Gazetted on 24th December 1935.
Born on 30th May 1904 at Meynell Langley, Derbyshire.
Killed in action on the 29th September, 1935 at Mohmand, North West Frontier, India.
Memorial on grave at the Guides Cemetery, Mardan, India. Also in Kirk Langley Church and the Sanctum Crypt in St Luke's Church, Chelsea, London.
Digest of Citation reads:
In the final phase of an attack on 29th September, 1935 on the North West Frontier, India, Captain Meynell, seeking information regarding the forward troops, found them engaged against an enemy vastly superior in numbers. Taking immediate command, Captain Meynell, with two Lewis guns and about 30 men maintained a heavy and accurate fire on the advancing enemy.The enemy's overwhelming numbers nevertheless succeeded in reaching the position and putting the Lewis gun out of action. In the hand to hand battle which foillowed, Captain Meynell was mortally wounded. However, the heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy prevented them from exploiting their success.

Godfrey Meynell was the son of Brigadier General Godfrey Meynell.
He was educated at Noris Hill School and Eton.
He joined the Army and went to the Officer Corps Traing Unit, at Sandhurst.
After passing out, he joined the King's Shropshire Regiment in India.

He was an excellent linguist, especially in the Indian Language, becoming an interpreter.
He transferred to the Corps of Guides in 1926.
In 1930 whilst serving, at that time, with the Tochi Scouts he was wounded in the back whilst trying to save his troops from an ambush.
He served with the South Waziristan Scouts for a time.
He rejoined the Corps of Guides in 1931 as its Adjutant...

 

Updated:06.09.02