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6446 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
John Grimwood was born in Hitcham in 1886, the son of John and Louisa Grimwood. His father was a bricklayer and the family lived at Church Street, Monks Eleigh. By 1911 the family had moved to Sudbury and lived at one time at 37 Friar Street and also Park Lodge, Gallows Hill.
At the age of 14 John was employed as a brickmaker’s labourer. By 1911 he was serving as a regular soldier with 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment stationed at Barrosa Barracks in Aldershot and held the rank of Corporal. It is not known when he transferred to the 1st Battalion but they had suffered heavy casualties during the Second Battle of Ypres (22 April – 25 May 1915). John is recorded as having first served in ‘a theatre of war’ in France on 18 May 1915.
The 1st Battalion formed part of 84th Brigade, 28th Division. On 27 September 1915 the Division was sent from Bailleul to relieve the divisions that had suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Loos (25 September – 15 October). The British suffered over 61,000 casualties at Loos including John Grimwood.
John died of wounds on 11 October 1915 and lies buried in Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A Cross of Remembrance was laid by his grave in June 2015.
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