Geoffrey Drummond
|
Geoffrey Heneage Drummond
|
|
|---|---|
| File:Geoffrey Drummond VC IWM Q 79805.jpg | |
| Born | 25 January 1886 St James Palace, London |
| Died | 21 April 1941 Rotherhithe, London |
| Buried |
St Peter's Church Cemetery, Chalfont St Peter
|
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Rank | Lieutenant-Commander |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Légion d'honneur |
Lieutenant-Commander Geoffrey Heneage Drummond VC (25 January 1886 – 21 April 1941) was 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.
Drummond was born on 25 January 1886. He was 32 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the First World War, and was awarded the VC for his part in the Second Ostend Raid.
On 9/10 May 1918 at Ostend, Belgium, Lieutenant Drummond commanding HMML (Motor Launch) 254, volunteered for rescue work and was following HMS Vindictive to the harbour when a shell burst on board killing an officer and a deck hand and badly wounding the coxswain and Lieutenant Drummond. Notwithstanding his wounds, this officer brought M.L. 254 alongside Vindictive and then took off two officers and 38 men, some of whom were killed or wounded while embarking. He retained consciousness long enough to back his vessel away from the piers and towards the open sea before collapsing exhausted from his wounds.[1][2]
Despite suffering from his severe wounds received in his VC action Drummond returned to the navy in World War II but died on 21 April 1941 from a fall[3][4]
His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.
Drummond married Maude Aylmer Tindal Bosanquet (d 27 Sept, 1967) on 2 July 1918. The couple had three children:
See also
References
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30870. p. 10084. 27 August 1918.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30870. p. 10088. 27 August 1918.
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ CWGC entry
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- VCs of the First World War - The Naval VCs (Stephen Snelling, 2002)
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Buckinghamshire)
- Geoffrey Drummond at Find a Grave
- Pages with broken file links
- 1886 births
- 1941 deaths
- British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
- Royal Navy officers
- Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War I
- Royal Navy personnel of World War II
- Légion d'honneur recipients
- Accidental deaths from falls
- People from the City of Westminster
- People educated at Clayesmore School
