Grosvenor, Lawrence Aubrey

Date of birth:: May 29th, 1919 (Creswell, Derbyshire)
Service number:: 269352
Nationality:: British

Biography

Before the war Lawrence Grosvenor worked as a nurse. On 15th October 1939 he joined as a Private (No.7363407) in the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving as Mental Nurse.
Grosvenor served in France prior to the evacuation from Dunkirk in May 1940, and was subsequently posted as a ward sergeant aboard the hospital ship "Llandovery Castle", and was then advanced to Mental Nursing Orderly 2nd Class 'in the field' on 1st September 1941, and appointed to acting Lance Corporal 'in the field' on 9th December 1941 - whilst aboard "Llandovery Castle". He then saw action whilst on the ship in East African waters and the Middle East. He was reposted to a number of regiments before being promoted to Sergeant and posted to the Officer Cadet Training Unit at the Citadel in Cairo, Egypt on 18th September 1942, and was granted an Emergency Commission into the Green Howards on February 6th, 1943 as a Second Lieutenant. Grosvenor saw action with the 8th Army in North Africa and Sicily being been present in the bloody battle for Primsole Bridge from 13th to 16th July.after which the regiment was drawn back to England to prepare for D Day.
On 6th June 1944 Grosvenor with the 6th Battalion Green Howards landed at Gold Beach, its objective being to destroy the fortified strongpoint at Ver sur Mer for which he was awarded the Military Cross.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Military Cross (MC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant
Unit:: 6th Battalion The Green Howards
Awarded on:: October 19th, 1944

Recommendation:
"Early on the morning of 27th June 1944, Lieutenant Grosvenor was in command of a fighting patrol ordered to shoot up any enemy found in two houses north west of La Taille. When we arrived at this point he found the houses unoccupied but after reconnaissance he saw some enemy in the location of the cross roads near La Taille. He immediately engaged the enemy who returned his fire. Ascertaining that the enemy strength was approximately a Platoon with 4 light machine guns, he decided that it was too strong a position to be tackled by his small patrol and held his ground while he sent back for the remainder of his platoon. When his platoon arrived Lieutenant Grosvenor attacked the enemy position. Placing his Bren guns in position to give him covering fire he personally led two sections round the enemy's left flank. They killed nine Germans and took four prisoners. The enemy counterattacked supported by mortars and more light machine guns. Lieutenant Grosvenor held his position, inflicting further casualties on the enemy, until it became untenable. He then organised the complete withdrawal of his Platoon to a position approximately 200 yards away where he again engaged the enemy. At approximately 1600 hours he disengaged and withdrew his Platoon into his Company Area, the platoon having suffered only three casualties. The captured Germans and Lieutenant Grosvenor gave valuable information which enabled the Battalion to carry out a successful attack the following day. There is not doubt that this highly successful encounter with the enemy was a result of the superb leadership of Lieutenant Grosvenor over a tired Platoon. His complete disregard for personal safety gained him the admiration not only of his Platoon but of the whole Company and set a magnificent example of courage and leadership."

Presented with MC by King George VI on 3rd September 1945.
LG 36753/4787
WO 373/49/119