John Elisha Grimshaw VC

From the original Victoria Cross Research website (2000–2006) by Alfred J. Askin. Reproduced as written; some details may have been superseded. See the original page.

GRIMSHAW, John Elisha

Citation reads:
On the 25th April 1915 west of Cape Helles, Gallipoli, three companies and the Headquarters of the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, when landing on West Beach, were met by very deadly fire from hidden machine-guns which caused a large number of casualties. The survivors however, rushed up and cut the wire entanglements not withstanding the terrific fire from the enemy and after overcoming supreme difficulties the cliffs were gained and the position maintained. (Corporal Grimshaw was one of the six members of the Regiment elected for the award. The other five* were BROMLEY. C; KENEALLY, W; RICHARDS A.J; STUBBS, F.E; and WILLIS, R.R). * SEE INDIVIDUAL CITATIONS.

. He was mentioned in Sir Ian Hamilton's Despatch. Corporal Grimshaw's own account. given at the time, was as follows, "In boats we got within 200 or 300 yards from the shore when the Turks opened a terrible fire. Sailors were shot deed at their oars. With rifles held over our heads we struggled through the barbed wire in the water to the beach and fought a way to the foot of the cliffs leaving the biggest part of our meen dead and wounded." He would say nothing of his own experiences.
He had been content with his DCM until he was informed by the Hull representative of the Daily Despatch that he had been elected by his comrades for the VC. His comment was, "Whose leg are you pulling."
He was presented with a gold watch by the people of Abram and district in Lancashire. He was one of 32 survivors from a body of 800 men who had been in the landing on West Beach.

Corporal Grimshaw came from a large family and all the males worked down the mine. He joined the army on the 13th August 1912 at the age of 19 and was serving in India, at the outbreak of the European War (WW I), and from there he was sent to Gallipoli.
After recovering from severe frost-bite he was posted to Hull as a Musketry Instructor. It was here he met and married, within three months, Miss Margaret Stout (Maggie). They had two children, a daughter Mary and a son Leslie.
He continued his military career finishing as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Lt. Col Grimshaw was said by his niece, Mrs Louie Davis, to be a very private mand who shunned publicity. He spent his last days at Twickenham and nobody there knew that he held the Victoria Cross.