Gris Davies-Scourfield

Brigadier Edward Grismond Beaumont 'Gris' Davies-Scourfield CBE 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.

Early life and education

Gris Davies-Scourfield was born in Patching, Sussex on 8 August 1918,

the fourth son of Henry G. Davies-Scourfield by Helen Newton.

He was educated at Winchester College and Royal Military College, Sandhurst where he was awarded the King's Medal and the Anson Memorial Sword.

Military career

He was commissioned as 2nd lieutenant in the 60th Rifles 25 August 1938.

Action and capture

He served in England until the outbreak of World War II 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.

Prisoner of war

Davies-Scourfield in Colditz, seated with a mess, furthest rightAs a prisoner of war 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.

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.

Postwar

On return to England he learned of his award of the Military Cross 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. then, in 1947, Palestine during the final years of the British Mandate. 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 appointed a CBE.

In 1969 he returned to England at Tidworth Camp where he was in command of the Salisbury Plain area until his retirement.

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.