Lance Corporal Charles Grimson 1876-1938

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DetailsWhen the Great War broke out in 1914, Australia, as a member of the British Empire became involved. More than 500 men from Hornsby Shire, which was a very high number for such a small population, volunteered for service overseas.
Many of the volunteers were untrained, and had to be sent to training camps, mostly overseas such as Alexandria in Egypt. The first troops to complete their training formed a brigade, and were joined by a brigade of New Zealand men to form the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps or 'ANZACZ'. They were dispatched to Gallipoli to fight the Turks and gain control of the Dardenelles. One of the first volunteers from Hornsby Shire was Charles Grimson, who was already trained, having fought in the Boer War at a young age. He enlisted in 1914 with the 1st Light Horse Regiment, leaving behind his wife and ten children. Charles was born at Yullundry, NSW and had settled in Hornsby at an early age.
He married Ethel Portia Robinson in 1902 who was a member of a well known Hornsby family, and they settled on land in a gully below Old Berowra Road, Hornsby, later to be known as Grimson's Gully.
Lance Corporal Grimson was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal at Gallipoli for an extremely courageous action on the night of May 28, 1915. Turkish troops had breached the allied line and occupied a part of their trenches, splitting the defences in two. Grimson then crawled across the ground towards the enemy, capturing three Turks along the way and then entered the enemy held part of the trenches and captured another twelve. This enabled the allied forces to re-unite.
Grimson was badly wounded in the action, and repatriated to Australia. He was the first decorated soldier to return to Hornsby, and was met by Shire Councillors and citizens of the town as well as Hornsby school pupils, the school band and the headmaster, Mr. A. E. McMahon. His triumphant return inspired many other young men from the shire to enlist in the AIF. Charles Grimson later became a recruiting sergeant in Hornsby. He died in Orange, NSW in 1938 and was buried there in the Church of England Cemetery. Several of his descendants still live in Hornsby Shire.
Charles Grimson's brother-in-law, Estate Agent, Herbert Robinson, owned the land where Hornsby War Memorial stands. He donated this land to Hornsby Shire Council so this monument could be erected. The dedication on April 27, 1923 was performed by the Governor General, Lord Forster and the monument stands today in the centre of Hornsby as a reminder of the gallant deeds of our ancestors.

Hedley Somerville (2018).

Corporal Charles Grimson- 3rd NSW Mounted Rifles, received the Queen's South Africa Medal.

Lance Corporal Charles Grimson-1st Light Horse Regiment AIF, received the Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20 and the Victory Medal for his service.KeywordsCharles GrimsonGrimson's GullyGrimson familyWorld War IHornsby

PlacesGrimson's GullyPhotographLance Corporal Charles Grimson - Hornsby

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Lance Corporal Charles Grimson 1876-1938

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