Julian Grenfell

Julian Henry Francis Grenfell (30 March 1888 – 26 May 1915) was a British soldier and a war poet of World War I.

Early life Julian Grenfell was born at 4 St James's Square, London, the eldest son of William Grenfell, later Baron Desborough, and Ethel Priscilla Fane, daughter of Julian Fane.

He was educated at Eton where he was good friends with Denys Finch Hatton, Edward Horner, and latterly with Patrick Shaw-Stewart. From Eton he went up to Balliol College, Oxford, where he soon developed a reputation for bullying and rowdy behaviour, such as cracking a stock whip within inches of Philip Sassoon's head. After University Julian spent much of his time involved in outdoor activities; hunting and fishing, and as a somewhat reluctant participant in his mother's high society parties, and country house weekends. It was at one such gathering that Julian met Marjory Manners, daughter of the Duke of Rutland, to whom he became devoted. They corresponded for a lengthy period, and Marjory was one of the first to write to Julian's mother Ettie, after his death to tell of her anguish.

Military service Grenfell was commissioned in the British Army in 1907 and eventually attached to the 1st (Royal) Dragoons in 1910. He was taken to a hospital at Wimereux, where his sister Monica was working as a V.A.D. nurse. He initially seemed to be holding his own, but an X-ray showed he had an extensive skull fracture, and underlying brain injury. He was operated on at once, but on 23 May the doctors found his wound was infected so a second operation was undertaken. After this he was in continuous pain, and began to deteriorate. One of his arms gradually became paralysed, and he became increasingly drowsy. For ten long hot days his mother and father sat by his bedside, while Julian remembered happier times in younger years at Taplow Court with his mother, and recited poetry, particularly his favourite, the ancient Greek tragedy Hippolytus by Euripides. He died from encephalitis on the afternoon of 26 May with his mother, father and sister at his bedside. He was 27 years old and was buried at the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery; his mother covered his grave with oak leaves and wild flowers sent by his younger sister from home. The day after his death, together with news of his death, his most famous poem Into Battle was published for the first time, in The Times.

In a letter from October 1914, Grenfell had written "I adore war. ... It is like a big picnic but without the objectivelessness of a picnic. I have never been more well or more happy. ... It just suits my stolid health and stolid nerves and barbaric disposition. The fighting-excitement vitalizes everything, every sight and action. One loves one's fellow man so much more when one is bent on killing him."