George Risdon GRIMWADE

GRIMWADE, George Risdon

Service Number: 3188
Enlisted: 22 February 1915, Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 6th Field Ambulance
Born: Melbourne, Victoria, 1895
Home Town: Balaclava, Port Phillip, Victoria
Schooling: Melbourne Grammar School
Occupation: Medical student
Died: Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey, 23 September 1915
Cemetery: Shrapnel Valley Cemetery, Gallipoli
Plot II, Row D, Grave 34
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hampton RSL Gallipoli Memorial Gardens, Melbourne Grammar School WW1 Fallen Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

22 Feb 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3188, Melbourne, Victoria
4 Jun 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3188, 6th Field Ambulance, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ajana embarkation_ship_number: A31 public_note: ''
4 Jun 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3188, 6th Field Ambulance, HMAT Ajana, Melbourne
23 Sep 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3188, 6th Field Ambulance, ANZAC / Gallipoli

Help us honour George Risdon Grimwade's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts

GEORGE RISDON GRIMWADE who was killed in action on Gallipoli on 23rd September 1915 was the second son of E. Norton Grimwade (No. 1620 on the School Roll). He was born in 1895 and entered the Preparatory School in 1905. He entered the Senior School in 1909. He passed the Senior Public Examination in 1912 and left School. He in 1913 entered Trinity College, where he was a 3rd year medical student when he enlisted in June 1915. He was a most popular boy.

A first-class tennis and billiard player, on the transport en route to Egypt he won the lightweight boxing championship of the ship, the finals being fought in the Red Sea on 15th July. He was a Private in the 6th Field Ambulance and embarked in January 1915.

The sad story of his death is told by Dr. F. M. Johnson. He writes thus : " On Wednesday I got back rather late, and so little did we think of danger that I walked down to the office to write. I had hardly sat down before a shell burst quite close, and your son was brought in on a stretcher. He died within two minutes. He had been hit by a shrapnel bullet. He was on duty guarding the water tank, and in a position where no one thought of danger. On each side of the water tank was a pile of tents, which formed an efficient protection as protection is regarded here. Talking to him was a boy named Stone, who was uninjured, and another named Bennet standing. We buried him the same evening. Grammar School boys dug his grave, for they would not allow anyone else to do so. He lies in a little graveyard in Shrapnel Valley, where many other 
soldiers who have died for their country lie."

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Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen

George was born as Leonard Risdon GRIMWADE in Melbourne, Victoria in 1895

His parents were Edward Norton GRIMWADE & Phelia Agnes Maude WHITTINGHAM