Name
Richard Menteith Greenfield
27/12/1856
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/04/1916
59
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Brigadier General
Irish Command
General Staff
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Mentioned in Dispatches
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RICKMANSWORTH (CHORLEYWOOD ROAD) CEMETERY
Grave B.4.6
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Rickmansworth memorials
Winchester School Memorial
Pre War
He was born in Belgium on 27 September 1856, the son of James Wyatt Greenfield of Brynderwen, Monmouthshire, and Margaret Greenfield, daughter of Sir Joseph Bailey. He was educated at Dr. Godby’s school at Henley and then at Winchester school from 1870 to 1873. Richard Greenfield married Mary Frances Bateman in 1893. In 1911 they were living at Les Marais House, Grouville, Jersey. When he died, probably of natural causes, he was living at Waterdell House.
Richard Greenfield went to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and became a career soldier, initially in the 108th regiment. Gazetted Lieutenant 108th Regiment, Indian Army on 13 Jun 1874 and was attached to Army H.Q. 1899-1900 and 1901-02. In 1881, aged 24, he was a Lieutenant based at Fulwood barracks, Preston. He went with the regiment to India where he remained for most of his career. He graduated from Staff College and held various staff appointments in India. He took part in the Burmese expedition of 1892 and received the brevet rank of Lieutenant-Colonel with a mention in despatches.
He married Mary Frances Bateman in 1893 and later lived at Waterdell House, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth.
Prior to the First World War he was awarded the Indian Medal (1895) with clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897–98 and Tirah 1897–98. He commanded the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers during the campaign against the Pathan tribes known as the Tirah Relief expedition in 1897.
He commanded the Bombay Brigade from 1905 to 1909. He was appointed Brigade Commander in India and Companion of the Bath (CB) in the 1907 Birthday Honours, and retired with the honorary rank of Brigadier-General in 1912.
Wartime Service
The outbreak of war he immediately volunteered and in August 1914 was appointed to the General Staff of the Irish Command.
He died the day after the Easter rising in Dublin against British rule in Ireland. It is not known when he left Ireland before his death.
Additional Information
The reason for the connection with the district is his sister Annette Crawshay Greenfield. Annette married Edward Stanley Ormerod and the Ormerods lived at Waterdell House at least from 1901. Richard Greenfield’s effects were valued at £3126 9s 6d and administration was granted to his widow, Mary Frances. She remarried Richard Cox in 1917.
Richard's headstone (not CWGC) bears the inscription:
IN EVER LOVING MEMORY OF
BRIG. GENERAL RICHARD MENTETH GREENFIELD C.B.
BORN DEC. 27TH 1856, DIED APRIL 25TH 1916.
BRIG. GENERAL RICHARD MENTETH GREENFIELD C.B.
BORN DEC. 27TH 1856, DIED APRIL 25TH 1916.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Mike Collins
