Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: The Reverend Father P. Grobel, Roman Catholic Chaplain 4th Class, Army Chaplains’ Department, who was Mentioned in Despatches, and died at Boulogne on 1 January 1917

1914 Star (Rev: P. Grobel. A.C.D.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Rev. P. Grobel.) VM with the earlier dark matt finish, very fine and better (3) £240-£280

M.I.D. London Gazette 31 December 1915

The Reverend Peter Grobel, Roman Catholic Chaplain to the Forces, was born in 1865, and was educated at the Jesuit College at Tournai, Belgium, and afterwards at Paris. For ten years he worked as a parish priest at Little Hulton, Salford, and during his tenure was responsible for the building of the new Roman Catholic Church of St. Edmund, King and Martyr, at Little Hulton. In 1903 he was given a commission as a Naval Chaplain on the Mediterranean station. In 1909 he was appointed temporary Roman Catholic Chaplain to the Forces with the North China Expeditionary Force, and was employed in a similar capacity on the Western Front, landing in France with the British Expeditionary Force prior to 22 November 1914. He was mentioned in Sir John French’s Despatch of 30 November 1915, and was appointed to be Temporary Chaplain to the Forces, 4th Class, on 19 January 1916. He died from natural causes on 1 January 1917, and is buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France. His obituary notice in the Roman Catholic paper ‘Truth’ described him as a devoted priest, a good linguist, and that he was devoted to missionary work.

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