Gris Davies-Scourfield
Encyclopedia
Brigadier
Edward Grismond Beaumont 'Gris' Davies-Scourfield was a British Army
officer who became a Prisoner of War
and escaped from Stalag XXI-D
and Colditz Castle
during the Second World War.
, Sussex
on the 8th August 1918,
the fourth son of Henry G. Davies-Scourfield by Helen Newton.
He was educated at Winchester
and Sandhurst
where he was awarded the King's Medal and the Anson Memorial Sword.
as 2nd Lieutenant in the 60th Rifles
25 August 1938.
where he was sent to France
as a platoon commander participating in the defence of Calais
. He was captured on 26 May 1940 having been wounded four times.
he made several escape attempts.
Following capture he was moved between transit camps until reaching Oflag VII-C
, Laufen
. His first escape attempt was participation in digging a tunnel which was discovered and for which he received six weeks solitary confinement.
In February 1941 he was promoted to Lieutenant
.
He was sent to Fort VIII at Stalag XXI-D
at Poznań
. He escaped in May 1941 with two other British officers; Major
Ronald Littledale
and Lieutenant
Mike Sinclair, by hiding in a modified handcart
carrying rubbish to a pit outside the camp. They made contact with the Polish underground movement in Warsaw
but, after the other two officers had moved on, Davies-Scourfield was recaptured in March 1942.
Davies-Scourfield was sent to Oflag IV-C
at Colditz Castle
and was rejoined by Littledale and Sinclair following their recapture months later.
In September 1943 he escaped, once again concealed in a handcart. For a few days his absent place in Colditz was taken by a 'ghost'. He was re-captured whilst attempting to reach the Netherlands
following detection of a flaw in his forged
papers. He was returned to Colditz where he remained until liberation by the Americans in April 1945.
for his action in Calais and mentions in despatches for his escape attempts and assistance in others. In late 1945 he married Diana Lilias Davidson in Sussex. Diana had served in the WRNS
at Bletchley Park
.
Gris' Military career continued, first in the War Office
where his rank was substantiated to Captain then, in 1947, Palestine
during the final years of the British Mandate
.
He moved to the Staff College
in 1948 during which time daughter Susan was born. Between 1949 and 1951 he worked for Military Intelligence in Malaya
during the communist insurgency
, during which he was promoted to Major
and for which he was appointed MBE
.
From 1951 Gris served with the Rhine Army
in Germany
. Returning to England in 1955, he became second in command of the battalion in Winchester
. In 1958 he returned for a period at the War Office, during which time son Gwyn was born in 1959.
1 July 1960 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
and until 1962 commanded 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade.
Posted to Cyprus
in 1962, with a return to Winchester in 1963, where on 31 May 1963 he was promoted to Colonel
as Brigade Colonel of 3rd Green Jackets
which he commanded until 1964. Following this, until 1966, he was commander of the British Joint Services Training Team in Ghana
. On 31 December 1966 he was promoted to Brigadier
. He was awarded the CBE
.
In 1966 he was appointed Deputy Commander Near East Land Forces in Cyprus,. During this time he is credited with authorising and participating in the first Dhekelia H3 hash
.
In 1969 he returned to England at Tidworth
where he was in command of the Salisbury Plain
area until his retirement.
, Hampshire
where he and his wife remained until shortly before Gris's death. He wrote his war memoirs, In Presence of My Foes: A Memoir of Calais, Colditz, and Wartime Escape Adventures, first published in 1991 and reprinted in 2004.
Both he and his wife, participated actively in local church and community life.
Soon after retirement he became the Director of the National Association of Boys Clubs
a post he held for 10 years.
For some years he was Chairman of the Hampshire Branch of the Army Benevolent Fund
. He was Chairman of the King's Royal Rifle Corps' Regimental Association and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
for Hampshire.
Gris Davies-Scourfield died on 20 November 2006 in Alton
. He was survived by his wife Diana, daughter, Susie and son, Gwyn. Diana died 15 August 2009.
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Edward Grismond Beaumont 'Gris' Davies-Scourfield was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who became a Prisoner of War
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and escaped from Stalag XXI-D
Stalag XXI-D
Stalag XXI-D was a German World War II PoW Camp based in Poznań , Poland.- Description :Following the invasion of Poland in 1939 and the establishment of the Reichsgau Wartheland, Poznań became the administrative centre of 'Wehrkreis XXI' . Some of Poznań's eighteenth century forts were used as...
and Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle is a Renaissance castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden, and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany. Used as a workhouse for the indigent and a mental institution for over 100 years, it gained international fame as a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II for...
during the Second World War.
Early Life and Education
Gris Davies-Scourfield was born in PatchingPatching
Patching is a small village and civil parish that lies amidst the fields and woods of the southern slopes of the South Downs in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It has a history going back to before the Domesday survey of 1087. It is located four miles to the east of Arundel, to the...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
on the 8th August 1918,
the fourth son of Henry G. Davies-Scourfield by Helen Newton.
He was educated at Winchester
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
where he was awarded the King's Medal and the Anson Memorial Sword.
Military career
He was commissionedOfficer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
as 2nd Lieutenant in the 60th Rifles
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
25 August 1938.
Action and Capture
He served in England until the outbreak of warWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
where he was sent to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as a platoon commander participating in the defence of Calais
Siege of Calais (1940)
The Siege of Calais was a battle for the port and town of Calais during the German blitzkrieg which overran northern France in 1940. It immediately preceded Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force through Dunkirk....
. He was captured on 26 May 1940 having been wounded four times.
Prisoner of War
As a Prisoner of WarPrisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
he made several escape attempts.
Following capture he was moved between transit camps until reaching Oflag VII-C
Oflag VII-C
Oflag VII-C was a World War II German prisoner-of-war camp for officers located in Laufen Castle in south-eastern Bavaria from 1940 to 1942. Most of the prisoners were British officers captured during the Battle of France in 1940. To relieve overcrowding, some of the officers were transferred to...
, Laufen
Laufen
Laufen is a municipality on the southeastern border of Bavaria with Austria.-History:It was first mentioned in a deed of 748. The rapids that gave the town the name were also responsible for the town's wealth from the salt trade...
. His first escape attempt was participation in digging a tunnel which was discovered and for which he received six weeks solitary confinement.
In February 1941 he was promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
.
He was sent to Fort VIII at Stalag XXI-D
Stalag XXI-D
Stalag XXI-D was a German World War II PoW Camp based in Poznań , Poland.- Description :Following the invasion of Poland in 1939 and the establishment of the Reichsgau Wartheland, Poznań became the administrative centre of 'Wehrkreis XXI' . Some of Poznań's eighteenth century forts were used as...
at Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. He escaped in May 1941 with two other British officers; Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Ronald Littledale
Ronald Littledale
Lieutenant Colonel Ronald 'Ronnie' Bolton Littledale DSO , was a British Army officer who became a Prisoner of War and successfully escaped from Colditz Castle during the Second World War.-Early life:...
and Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Mike Sinclair, by hiding in a modified handcart
Cart
A cart is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people...
carrying rubbish to a pit outside the camp. They made contact with the Polish underground movement in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
but, after the other two officers had moved on, Davies-Scourfield was recaptured in March 1942.
Davies-Scourfield was sent to Oflag IV-C
Oflag IV-C
Oflag IV-C, often referred to as Colditz Castle because of its location, was one of the most famous German Army prisoner-of-war camps for officers in World War II; Oflag is a shortening of Offizierslager, meaning "officers camp"...
at Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle is a Renaissance castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden, and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany. Used as a workhouse for the indigent and a mental institution for over 100 years, it gained international fame as a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II for...
and was rejoined by Littledale and Sinclair following their recapture months later.
In September 1943 he escaped, once again concealed in a handcart. For a few days his absent place in Colditz was taken by a 'ghost'. He was re-captured whilst attempting to reach the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
following detection of a flaw in his forged
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
papers. He was returned to Colditz where he remained until liberation by the Americans in April 1945.
Post War
On return to England he learned of his award of the Military CrossMilitary Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for his action in Calais and mentions in despatches for his escape attempts and assistance in others. In late 1945 he married Diana Lilias Davidson in Sussex. Diana had served in the WRNS
Women's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics...
at Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an estate located in the town of Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, England, which currently houses the National Museum of Computing...
.
Gris' Military career continued, first in the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
where his rank was substantiated to Captain then, in 1947, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
during the final years of the British Mandate
Palestine (mandate)
The British Mandate for Palestine, also known as the Palestine Mandate, The British Mandate of Palestine and the Mandate for Palestine, was a legal commission for the administration of Palestine, the draft of which was formally confirmed by the Council of the League of Nations on 24 July 1922 and...
.
He moved to the Staff College
Staff college
Staff colleges train military officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career...
in 1948 during which time daughter Susan was born. Between 1949 and 1951 he worked for Military Intelligence in Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
during the communist insurgency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
, during which he was promoted to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and for which he was appointed MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
.
From 1951 Gris served with the Rhine Army
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Returning to England in 1955, he became second in command of the battalion in Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
. In 1958 he returned for a period at the War Office, during which time son Gwyn was born in 1959.
1 July 1960 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and until 1962 commanded 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade.
Posted to Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in 1962, with a return to Winchester in 1963, where on 31 May 1963 he was promoted to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
as Brigade Colonel of 3rd Green Jackets
Royal Green Jackets
The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two "large regiments" within the Light Division .-History:...
which he commanded until 1964. Following this, until 1966, he was commander of the British Joint Services Training Team in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. On 31 December 1966 he was promoted to Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
. He was awarded the CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
.
In 1966 he was appointed Deputy Commander Near East Land Forces in Cyprus,. During this time he is credited with authorising and participating in the first Dhekelia H3 hash
Hash House Harriers
The Hash House Harriers is an international group of non-competitive running, social and drinking clubs...
.
In 1969 he returned to England at Tidworth
Tidworth
Tidworth is a town in south-east Wiltshire, England with a growing civilian population. Situated at the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, it is approximately 10 miles west of Andover, 12 miles south of Marlborough, 24 miles south of Swindon, 15 miles north by north-east of Salisbury and 6 miles east...
where he was in command of the Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
area until his retirement.
Retirement and Later Life
In 1973 he retired to MedsteadMedstead
Medstead is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 4.3 miles west-southwest of Alton. The village has a population of around 2,000 and adjoins the village of Four Marks. At over 700 feet above sea level, they are some of the highest villages in...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
where he and his wife remained until shortly before Gris's death. He wrote his war memoirs, In Presence of My Foes: A Memoir of Calais, Colditz, and Wartime Escape Adventures, first published in 1991 and reprinted in 2004.
Both he and his wife, participated actively in local church and community life.
Soon after retirement he became the Director of the National Association of Boys Clubs
Clubs for Young People
Clubs for Young People is a national network of over 3,000 voluntary youth clubs, youth groups and projects across the United Kingdom, helping close to half a million young people each year...
a post he held for 10 years.
For some years he was Chairman of the Hampshire Branch of the Army Benevolent Fund
Army Benevolent Fund
ABF The Soldiers' Charity, formerly the Army Benevolent Fund is a British charity. It is the British Army's national charity and provides financial and practical support to soldiers, former soldiers, and their families in times of need....
. He was Chairman of the King's Royal Rifle Corps' Regimental Association and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Hampshire.
Gris Davies-Scourfield died on 20 November 2006 in Alton
Alton, Hampshire
Alton is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of the English county of Hampshire. It had a population of 16,584 at the 1991 census and is administered by East Hampshire district council. It is located on the source of the River Wey and is the highest town in...
. He was survived by his wife Diana, daughter, Susie and son, Gwyn. Diana died 15 August 2009.