204912 Pte. John Grimshaw British Army 2nd Btn. Manchester Regiment from:23 Edward Avenue, Hulme, Manchester Born in Manchester in 1885, Jack Grimshaw first saw service in South Africa before moving with his unit to Ireland just prior to the outbreak of World War I. He was an 'Old Contemptible' and served with the BEF at the battle of Mons including the famous rearguard action at Le Cateau on 26th August 1914. He subsequently took part in the Battle of the Marne on September 5th.
He was always clear about these details and exhibited pride in having helped to 'save Paris.' He moved up to Ypres sector with Fergusson's 5th Division but was always rather hazy about this part of his service. He did mention La Bassee in Northen France and also described how the British and Germans used to exchange goods between them, throwing items like tins of bully beef over to the enemy trenches, and they in turn sending over 'delicacies' of their own.
At one stage he was quite badly wounded and spent time in hospital in Versailles and he was also badly frostbitten - the index finger on his hand remained stiff and unusable to the day he died. The family thought he was invalided out at some stage - possibly 1915 or 1916 - and undertook munitions work with Armstrong Whitworth. The only subsequent service that was military in character was as an active member of the Home Guard in the next war.
His powers of description were always worth listening to. The way he described the Germans advancing like a cloud or fogbank in 1914 'what looked like this cloud coming towards us. It gradually became clear what we were up against: thousands and thousands of men all clad in Jerry Blue!'
He also confirmed his regiment's expertise in rapid fire saying that the barrel of his rifle became so hot he had to cool it down in a puddle.
Jack died in 1968.
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