Honouring a life of service: the legacy of Colonel Renfree
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Colonel Thomas James Renfree SM dedicated his life to service across some of the most significant conflicts of the twentieth century.
Now, thanks to a legacy gift from his daughter Laura, his remarkable story is preserved within Imperial War Museums (IWM). Through her generosity, future generations will be able to discover the courage, commitment, and humanity that defined her father’s life.
A legacy of service and sacrifice
IWM was deeply honoured to receive a legacy from Laura in memory of her late father, a distinguished officer of the Union Defence Force (later the South African Defence Force). Over a long and varied career, Colonel Renfree served in some of the most demanding and complex theatres of war, from North Africa and Europe to the Pacific.
His service began in North Africa, where he fought in the Battle of El Alamein — a decisive campaign that marked a turning point in the Second World War. There, amid extreme heat and unforgiving desert conditions, Allied troops pushed back the advance of the Afrika Korps, securing a crucial victory that changed the course of the war.
Following this campaign, Colonel Renfree was seconded to the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and attached to Force 399 in Albania. The SOE’s work demanded exceptional skill and courage. Operating behind enemy lines, small teams provided support to resistance fighters, gathered intelligence, and disrupted enemy supply routes — often with limited resources and constant danger.
Later, Colonel Renfree served with the Services Reconnaissance Department, known as ‘Z’ Force, in the Pacific theatre. This elite unit carried out reconnaissance and sabotage missions in hostile territory, playing a vital role in the Allied war effort across the islands of the Pacific. These operations required resourcefulness, leadership, and quiet determination — qualities that defined his military career.
Preserving a life in objects and images
At the heart of Laura’s legacy is a collection of personal and military artefacts that together tell the story of her father’s life in service. A full set of 14 mounted medals reflects his distinguished achievements, including the Southern Cross Medal, the Africa Star with Eighth Army clasp, and the Commander of the National Order of Merit (Paraguay) — a rare international honour recognising his diplomatic contributions later in life.
The collection also includes letters, intelligence reports, and official documents that shed light on the realities of twentieth-century conflict. These materials provide a rare insight into operations that were, by their very nature, highly secretive. Much of the documentation from the Special Operations Executive was lost during the Blitz, making this archive particularly significant for historians and researchers.
Equally compelling are the photo albums that capture Colonel Renfree’s service across Europe, the Middle East, and Southern Africa. These photographs reveal the daily experiences of soldiers in the field — the landscapes they crossed, the people they met, and the camaraderie that sustained them. Together, they offer a human perspective on a life shaped by duty and resilience.
A living legacy
As a charity, IWM relies on the generosity of supporters like Laura. Gifts in wills, memorial donations, and the contribution of personal artefacts enable us to care for and share the stories behind more than 33.5 million objects in our national collection. Each one helps us explore how conflict has shaped, and continues to shape, our world.
Laura Renfree’s thoughtful gift ensures that her father’s service and legacy will continue to inspire. His story stands as a reminder of the courage and humanity shown by those who served — and of the importance of preserving their experiences for generations to come.
Will you help preserve these stories?
Every gift, no matter the size, helps IWM continue its mission to safeguard and share the stories of those who lived through conflict. By leaving a gift in your Will, you help ensure that history is not only preserved in our collections, but remembered and understood by future generations.
To find out more about leaving a gift in your Will, please contact Imogen Arcangeli, Head of Individual Giving at IWM, on 020 7416 5412 or IArcangeli@iwm.org.uk, or visit iwm.org.uk/legacies
