Geoffrey Drummond
Encyclopedia
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.
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
His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum
, London.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(25 January 1886 – 21 April 1941) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Drummond was born on 25 January 1886. He was 32 years old, and a 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...
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the First World War, and was awarded the VC for his part in the Second Ostend Raid
Second Ostend Raid
The Second Ostend Raid was the latter of two failed attempts made during the spring of 1918 by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy to block the channels accessing the Belgian port of Ostend as a part of their conflict with the German Empire during World War I...
.
On 9/10 May 1918 at Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Lieutenant Drummond commanding HMML (Motor Launch) 254, volunteered for rescue work and was following HMS Vindictive
HMS Vindictive (1897)
HMS Vindictive was a British protected cruiser of the Arrogant class built at Chatham Dockyard. She was launched on 9 December 1897 and completed in 1899....
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.
Despite suffering from his severe wounds received in his VC action Drummond returned to the navy in World War II
World 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...
but died on 21 April 1941 from a fall
His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
, London.
See also
- Roland Richard Louis BourkeRoland Richard Louis BourkeRoland Richard Louis Bourke, VC, DSO was a Canadian 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....
- Victor Alexander Charles CrutchleyVictor Alexander Charles CrutchleyAdmiral Sir Victor Alexander Charles Crutchley VC, KCB, DSC, DL, RN was a British admiral in World War II and a hero of the First World War...
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Buckinghamshire)