7 replies to this topic

[Mark Hone]

I am trying to find out a bit more about the old boys of Bury Grammar School who were decorated and survived the war (I have researched the 97 war dead). One of them is Lieutenant Roy Goncalves Glenday, Kings African Rifles, who won the MC. His citation in the London Gazette Supplement reads:'For conspicuous gallantry in action. With four men he made a very gallant attempt to capture an enemy machine gun under intense fire. He was wounded.'
Unfortunately I have not been able to unearth a more detailed account of the action. Does anyone have further information?
Glenday lost two brothers in the war. One, Ferdinand, who died while attached to the RFC, has been the subject of a couple of previous forum threads. A third, Vincent, became a senior colonial official in East Africa, eventually Sir Vincent Goncalves Glenday KCMG OBE.

[IPT]

Found a small snippet from The Great War in Africa 1914-1918;


Neither column was in touch with the other, nor with headquarters, and on approaching the German boma [fort] west of Kisaki, each engaged the enemy independently. The columns thus failed to support one another, and as they were too depleted and exhausted to press home their attacks, for the first time in the campaign the enemy saw British troops retire. Smuts appears not to have fully realized the importance of supplies. None of his troops was on more than half rations, and many were forced to do with considerably less. Some went for as long as thirty-six hours with no rations at all. Weakened by hunger, malaria and dysentery, men daily fell out on the line of march. Most staggered into camp hours later. But when the comrades of a man in the 6th South African Infantry reported that he had failed to show up, a stretcher party was sent back and found him dead. "There was nothing wrong with him," said the officer who examined the body,"Only starvation." Still, Smuts's soldiers were expected to march and fight .

Lettow-Vorbeck threw up ambushes and fought stubborn rear guard actions; there were innumerable vicious little battles. In one small fight in the Uluguru Mountains, Lieutenant RG Glenday of the 3rd KAR charged three machine guns, engaged in a revolver duel at close range with a German officer, and was severely wounded, losing an arm. His only reward was a Military Cross.


Hopefully enough clues in there.

[Mark Hone]

Fantastic. I didn't know that he lost an arm. I haven't got any information about what he did in later life but I've discovered via Google that he wrote a couple of books on Economics.

[IPT]

World Biography Volume 1 - 1948
GLENDAY, ROY, British Economist: born July13, 1889 Sutton Coldfleld, Warwickshire: son of Alexander and Marie Lopes(Goncalves) Glenday; educated at BrightonCollege ; Emmanuel College, Cambridge: MA, LI B : married Pamela Rogers, 1924(dec.) ; one daughter Chief Research Chemist , Magadl Soda Co., Kenya Colony,1913-15. Lieut.. 3rd King's African Rifles. 1914-18; mentioned In despatches Joinedstaff of Federation of BritishIndustries. 1918; now Economic Director and Adviser. Author: Passing of FreeTrade. 1930; Economic Consequences of Progress. 1933; Future of Economic Society,1944 . Residence: Lawyer Cottage, Magpie Lane, Coleshlll. Amersham, Bucks.Office: Federation of British Industries, 21 Tothlll St., Westminster, London,England

[Mark Hone]

Thanks very much for that. He was also an old boy of our school, at least for part of his education-his father was a local vicar.

[bushfighter]

Mark
Greetings

Roy Glenday was serving in the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of the King's African Rifles (1/3 KAR).
This was the British East Africa, now Kenya, regiment.

The action was at Matamondo on the slopes of the Nguru Mountains, north of Morogoro and Turiani, on 10th August 1916.

In The King's African Rifles Moyse-Bartlett states:

Lieutenant R.G. Glenday (Special List) charged three enemy machine guns and had a revolver duel with a German officer.  He was wounded and subsequently lost an arm.  Glenday was awarded the Military Cross for his part in the action.

Harry

[bushfighter]

Mark

There are two Medal Index Cards available for Roy Glenday.

One shows his Mention in Despatches and the other shows that he first served in the Magadi Defence Force.

You might be interested in this article:

http://www.kaiserscr...001/284201.html

I would guess that when the Magadi Defence Force was disbanded Roy was selected for a commission in 1/3 KAR.

Harry

[Mark Hone]

Thanks for that. The Glendays obviously had a close family connection with East Africa.