A rare 1920 ‘Army of the Black Sea’ M.C. group of four awarded to Major E. U. Grimshaw, Royal Engineers

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; 1914-15 Star (Capt., R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (Major), mounted as worn, good very fine (4) £1600-2000

M.C. London Gazette 20 October 1920. ‘... in recognition of distinguished services in connection with military operations with the Army of the Black Sea’. ‘On the night of 25/26 March, 1920, when operating near Lefke (Anatolia), this officer was ordered to destroy Lefka Bridge. Although subjected to enemy rifle and machine-gun fire at close range, he gallantly carried out the task alloted to him. Throughout the operation Major Grimshaw set a fine example to his men’.

M.I.D. London Gazette 14 January 1921.

Edmund Usher Grimshaw was born on 3 March 1878 and was educated at St. Edward’s School, Summertown. He was first commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Miliford Haven Division of the Royal Engineers (Militia) in January 1904. In the Great War he entered the Egyptian Theatre of war as a Captain on 3 July 1915. He served in Gallipoli where he was wounded, and in April 1918 was appointed an Acting Major. In July 1918 he commanded 72 Field Company R.E. which accompanied the 39th Brigade to Persia in support of the Dunsterville Mission. The unit was lent to the ‘Persian Lines of Communications’, working in the Hamadan region. In December 1918 the unit was ordered to Baku, after the re-occupation of the Caspian Sea port. Leaving the port in September 1919, the unit proceeded to Batoum on the Black Sea and thence Constantinople for demobilization. Major Grimshaw won his M.C. for destroying the bridge at Lefke (Osmaneli), in Anatolia, on 25/26 March 1920, whilst under fire. This was at a time of the allied intervention in Anatolia and prior to the resumption of hostilities in the struggle for Western Anatolia during the Greco-Turkish War 1919-22. In June 1921 Major Grimshaw was appointed commanding officer of 55 Field Company R.E. Major Grimshaw later lived at Friars Hill, Wicklow, Co. Wicklow - a property he bequeathed to his batman upon his death. The M.C., one of 80 for 1920, is one of only 4 for the ‘Army of the Black Sea’.

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