John Duncan Grant

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

GRANT, John Duncan. (Reg.No.478)

Lieutenant (later Colonel) 8th Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army.

London Gazetted on 24th January 1905.

Born on: 28th December1877 at Roorkie, India.

Died on: 20th February 1967 at Tunbridge Wells in Kent. No recorded Memorial Digest of Citation reads: On 6 July 1904 at the storming of the Gyantse Jong, Tibet, the storming company, led by Lieutenant Grant, had to advance up a bare,almost precipitous rock-face with little cover and under heavy fire. Showers of rock and stones were being hurled down the hillside by the enemy and only one man could go up at a time, crawling on hands and knees, Lieutenant Grant and a havildar* attempted to scale the final defensive curtain, but on reaching the top they were both wounded and hurled back. Regardless of their injuries, they made another attempt and, covered by fire of the men below, were at last successful (*Havildar Karbir Pun of the 8th Gurkha Rifles, awarded Indian Order Of Merit.).

Additional information: He was the son of Colonel suene Grant, Royal Engineers. His education was at Manor House School, Hastings followed by Cheltenham college anf the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. His Army career began as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 22nd January 1898 and being unattached, to any specific regiment, in 1899 he joined the Indian Army in the Staff Corps. He became a Lieutenant in the Indiamn Army the following year. He was wounded whilst serving in Tibet (1903-4) and was Mentioned in Despatches as well as winning the Victoria Cross. He also held the CB and the DSO. He married Kathleen Mary Freyer, daughter of Lt.-Colonel P.J.Freyer. CB.,MD., IMS. at All Saints Church in Margaret St., London on the 19th January 1907. They had two children. A boy Hugh Duncan and a girl, Madeline. In 1907 he was promoted Captain; As Brigade-Major to the 35th Brigade of the Imperial Expeditionary Force he served in Mesopotamia (Iraq) from the 30th November 1915 to13th January 1916 when he was wounded at Orah and was Mentioned in Despatches. He went on to become Assistant Adjutant General at Army HQ, India from 1925 to 1928 then on to be Deputy Director of the Auxiliary and Territorial Indian Forces (1928-1929) before becomong a Colonel in the 10th Gurkha Rifles 1934-1947.