Five: Captain J. W. Grimston, Royal Naval Reserve

1914-15 Star (Lieut., R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut., R.N.R.); Royal Naval Reserve Decoration, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1933; France, Croix de Guerre 1914-1917, star on ribbon, mounted as worn; together with a Silver War Badge (RN37568) and a mounted set of five miniature dress medals, good very fine (11)
£400-450

M.I.D. London Gazette 20 September 1918. ‘Honours for Services in the Auxiliary Patrol, Minesweeping and Coastal Motor Boats, between the 1st January and 30th June, 1918’

M.I.D. London Gazette 24 March 1919. ‘Honours for Services in Coastal Motor boats between 1st July and 11th November 1918’.
Recommendation states: ‘This officer is recommended for meritorious service over an extended period. He joined the C.M.B. service on the 12 August 1917, and proceeded to Advanced Base, Dunkirk, where he remained three (?) months, returning to Dover owing to a failure in health where he has remained to date, during which time he has carried out the duties of Navigating, Intelligence and Instructional Officer to C.M.B. Bases Dover-Dunkirk, with unusual zeal and capability and thus done much to ensure the success of the C.M.B. Operations, especially in the case of the blocking Operations 22-23 April 1918, and during this period he has: instructed approximately 135 Officers ..., Examined 30 Officers R.N.V.R. .... He has 51/2 years continuous service, and previous to joining this Base was present in H.M.S. George V (sic) at the Battle of Jutland’.

Croix de Guerre London Gazette 24 March 1919.

John William Grimston was born in Hull on 10 March 1886. He was appointed a Sub-Lieutenant in the R.N.R. in July 1913 and was advanced to Lieutenant in July 1915. He was present at the battle of Jutland where he served aboard the King George V. Later in the war he served with Coastal Motor Boats, based at Dover and Dunkirk. With the C.M.B. he served in the Zebrugge/Ostend raids of 23 April 1918. Being removed from the Active List, as physically unfit in March 1919, he was reinstated in November 1920. Promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in July 1923 and Commander in December 1928, he was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Captain (London Gazette 13 March 1936). During 1940-45 Captain Grimston served as Master of the S.S. Hopepeak; during 1946-53, he served on a number of Board of Trade Wreck Report investigations. Captain Grimston died on 21 April 1962.

With riband bar; two postcard photographs of the battleship H.M.S. King George V and a quantity of copied research which includes gazette extracts, recomendations, service papers, Merchant Navy Registration Card - with photograph, and W.W.2 ship movement cards.