GRATTAN, O'DONNEL COLLEY, Lieutenant
Colonel, was born 13 June, 1855, at Crawley, Sussex, son of Henry Colley
Grattan and Lucy Nugent Grattan. He was privately educated, and at the Royal
Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the
King's Liverpool Regiment in 1876, becoming Lieutenant 10 March, 1877.
Lieutenant Grattan served in the Afghan War, 1878-80, with the Kurram Valley
Force, under Sir F Roberts (Field-Marshal Lord Roberts); was present at the
action of 28 November 1878, in the Kurram Valley, and battle and capture of
Peiwar Kotal; affair at Ali Khel (Medal with clasp); was promoted Captain 20
September 1882; Major 26 October 1892; Lieutenant Colonel 17 February 1900.
He served in the South African War, 1899-1900; operations in Natal in 1899,
including actions at Rietfontein and Lombard's Kop; Defence of Ladysmith. He
was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 10 September 1901]; received the
Queen's Medal with clasp, and for services rendered at Ladysmith was created a
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 27 September
1901]: "O'Donnel Colley Grattan, Lieutenant Colonel, Liverpool Regiment.
In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The
Insignia were presented by the King 29 October 1901. He was given the Brevet
of Colonel 10 February 1904. He was Brigade Commander, 1st West Riding
Infantry Brigade, 1909-13. He was called up in 1914, and raised and trained
61st Brigade, 20th Light Division, and commanded same till the departure of
the division to France, 1915; put in command 3rd Line West Lancashire
Division, 1915 to 1916, when it was formed into 'groups'; Commandant, Prisoner
of War Camp, to October 1919. He was twice mentioned in Despatches. He
married, at Aldershot, 4 January 1877, Helen Randall, second daughter of Major
General H Le Poer Trench. They had two daughters: Gladys Norah, born in 1885,
married Major General Sir C H Harington, KCB, DSO, and Aileen Nugent, born in
1887, married Temporary Captain F C Bedwell, West Yorkshire Regiment.
