Wright Grimshaw was the third child of carrier William Grimshaw and his wife Minerva. At the time of the 1911 census the family were living at 355 Idle Road, Bolton, Bradford and 21-year-old Wright was a carter, probably working for his father. He married Eleanor Winterburn in the second quarter of 1913 and during the war she lived with her parents at 7 Springville Terrace, Idle. The first we know of Wright’s eventful war is in the Shipley Times & Express on 24 August 1917: “Pte W Grimshaw of the Legion of Frontiersmen and whose wife resides at 7 Springville Terrace, Idle, is now in hospital at Devonport. “Pte Grimshaw joined up 18 months ago and after undergoing trianing at Hounslow was sent to German East Africa where he has seen much active service. “No doubt he will visit his home before having to rejoin his battalion.” On 5 October the paper published some more details of Wright’s experiences: “Pte Wright Grimshaw, son of Mr William T Grimshaw, Bolton, Bradford, and son-in-law of Mr Fred Winterburn, Springville

Terrace, Idle, has been invalided home from German East Africa after being 14 weeks in hospital in Capetown. “He has since been six weeks in a convalescent home in this country. “Pte Grimshaw went out to German East Africa with the Royal Fusiliers (Frontiersmen) in July 1916, along with many other men from this district. “He was in action along with other local soldiers with the Frontiersmen when the famous big game hunter, Capt Selous, was killed. He was, in fact, close by the brave old Captain when the latter was shot through the head. Sunstroke “Pte Grimshaw suffered from sunstroke in German East Africa as well as being affected by the bane of all soldiers in that country – fever and dysentery. “Being now practically fit again he expects to be sent to France within a short time.” On 17 May 1918, the newspaper reported: “We are pleased to be able to record that Pte W Grimshaw of 7

Springville Terrace, Idle, has been awarded the Military Medal and Certificate of Merit. “Pte Grimshaw joined the Legion of Frontiersmen in 1915 and proceeded to East Africa in July the followoing year. After serving there for about eight months he came home to England, shortly afterwards being drafted out to Italy. “From Italy he proceeded to another front where he has been in the thick of the fighting and earned for himself the above mentioned honours “The following is a copy of the letter he has received from his Commanding Officer: ‘I wish to place on record my appreciation of your courage and endurance from 21st to 28th March 1918 when, as Platoon runner you continually carried important messages through heavy fire and when your Battalion was forced to withdraw, you went forward to your Platoon and guided them back to the new position.’ But there was ominous news on 16 August 1918: “The latest news concerning Cpl Wright Grimshaw, Royal Fusiliers,

of 7 Springville Terrace, Idle, is not at all reassuring. He is reported wounded and missing since 14th July. “Last May we announced that he had been awarded the Military Medal and the Certificate of Merit.” Prisoner of War Missing quite often meant the soldier was among the unaccounted dead but on 27 September the paper had some better news: “Mrs Grimshaw of 7 Springville Terrace, Idle, has been informed by the Red Cross that her husband, Cpl Wright Grimshaw, Royal Fusiliers, who was awarded the Military Medal and Certificate of Merit a few months ago, is wounded and a prisoner of war. “This is confirmed by a postcard she has since received from her husband in Germany. “Cpl Grimshaw has been on the wounded and missing list for several weeks.” We learn from Ancestry files that in 1939 Wright and Eleanor were living in Sheffield with Eleanor’s widowed mother, Matilda. Wright is described as a fruit merchant (shopkeeper). He was still in Sheffield in October 1946 when he died.