James
Firstname
Grenfell
Middle Name
Mauldon
Surname
Date of Birth
School Years:
Date of Death:
1928 - 38
Family
School Record
Branch of Service:
Army Royal Tank Regiment
Service Number:
194184
Rank:
Decorations:
Service Record
Captain and Temporary Major
M.C. M.I.D. and Campaign Medals
Post War Career
He served with the Staffordshire Yeomanry which converted from horses to tanks in 1941 and became part of the Royal Armoured Corps (Royal Tank Regiment) from 1941 - 46, mainly in North Africa and Italy as well as in France on "D" day. He was awarded the Military Cross in the El Alamein Campaign. The Military Cross was awarded as a result of taking up lorries of fuel to relieve stranded tanks which had been cut off by Rommel's forces. This activity was carried out "with complete disregard of personal danger" During the battle of El Alamein, he commanded the tank which was assigned for the personal use of General Montgomery. It was apparently Major Mauldon who suggested to General Montgomery that, if he travelled in a tank, he would have to wear a Beret like the rest of the crew. The driver of the Tank, Sam Fraser, handed his over.
After returning home, the Regiment served in the 27th Armoured Brigade, part of the British Second Army. The Staffordshire Yeomanry was probably the only conventional tank unit to land on "D" day with Sherman and Crusader AA MKIII tanks. They landed on Sword (White) Beach and fought with distinction until 29th July 1944 when they returned to England. Major Mauldon was mentioned in despatches at this time.
He entered Jesus College Oxford on leaving School to read mathematics but his studies were interrupted by the War. He obtained 1st Class Honours in 1947. He was then elected to a fellowship at Corpus Christi College where he was tutor and Dean from 1951 to 1968. He then moved to Amherst College in the United States where, as Walker Professor, he immersed himself in the life of the college until his retirement in 1990. He published papers in group theory, geometry, continuous functions, statistics, matrix properties and game theory. His last professional publication in 1999 was an an article co-authored with his son, who is a civil engineer.
In his youth, he was a skilled rock climber and his name could be discerned, picked out in nails, on a particularly inaccessable part of the old sports pavilion at the School. He enjoyed puzzles, ranging from disarming mines in the war to composing chess problems.
Burial Information
Additional Information
Obituary O.I.M. Volume 2 September 2002 at page 26.
M.C. citation: www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35665/pages/3544 dated 13/08/1942.
MID citation: www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37575/supplement/2445 date 23/05/1946.
Other Pictures
Badge of the Staffordshire Yeomanry
General Montgomery wearing his black beret
Mentioned in despatches
Military Cross