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GALLIPOLI

GALLIPOLI

Graham Ellis25 Apr 2015 - 07:18
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Today is the 100th anniversary of the start of the Gallipoli Campaign in World War One. We remember two Southport players killed in the campaign.

The campaign took place on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916. The peninsula forms the northern bank of the Dardanelles, a strait that provided a sea route to the Russian Empire, one of the Allied powers during the war. Intending to secure it, Russia's allies Britain and France launched a naval attack followed by an amphibious landing on the peninsula, with the aim of capturing the Ottoman capital of Constantinople (modern Istanbul).The naval attack was repelled and after eight months' fighting, with many casualties on both sides, the land campaign was abandoned and the invasion force was withdrawn to Egypt.

The campaign is often considered as marking the birth of national consciousness in Australia and New Zealand and the date of the landing, 25 April, is known as "Anzac Day" which is the most significant commemoration of military casualties and veterans in those two countries’

It also claimed the lives of two players from Southport RUFC (as it was then) J E Grimshaw and T C Walker who are forever commemorated on the club’s war memorial plaque.

Lance Corporal John Edward Grimshaw, Lancashire Fusiliers, died on 18th September 1915 at Gallipoli and is commemorated on the Helles War Memorial*. Born in Leeds in 1897 he was the 1914-15 first team captain, possibly the youngest in the clubs history. The war curtailed this season and he may have been appointed captain at such young age because many of the older players had already enlisted.

His older brother George Herbert Grimshaw was captain in the first post-war season 1919-20. He was a manager at Martin's Bank in Liverpool moving in 1945 to Birkenhead after the death of his wife. Both are shown in the 1913-14 team photograph.

Their father, also J Grimshaw, may have been involved with the club too. He was a Wesleyan Minister who founded a girl's school in Southport and the Sailing Club amongst other things.

Earlier this season the club was delighted to welcome the grandson and granddaughter of George Grimshaw, Philip Miller and Susan Krejova. Philip and Susan came down from Scotland and were guests at the First and Third XV games verses Orrell and Sefton presenting the club with a traditional “Quaich” (a special kind of shallow two-handled drinking cup or bowl in Scotland) in honour of their grandfather and great uncle.

* In an amazing co-incidence another J E Grimshaw (John Elisha) was also in this Regiment. He was from Wigan and won the Victoria Cross at Gallipoli. His story recently featured on local television.

Second Lieutenant Thomas Cartmel Walker, 1/5th Manchester Regiment (Territorial), died aged 20 on 6th June 1915 at Gallipoli and is buried at Redoubt Cemetery, Helles. Son of Thomas Ascroft and Mary Gibson Walker of Wyborne Gate, Westcliffe Road he is also commemorated on the Holy Trinity Church and Hesketh Golf Club memorials. He was educated at Mostyn House, Parkgate and at Rugby School, and had passed his entrance examination to King’s College. Cambridge.

Tragically his older brother Second-Lieutenant Basil Scarisbrick Walker serving in 5th Battalion (Earl of Chester’s Territorial), Cheshire Regiment, had been killed aged 26 the month before on 9th May 1915. He is buried at Divisional Cemetery, Dickebusch Road, Vlamertinghe, Belgium. But he is incorrectly inscribed on the club plaque as S S Walker but like his brother is also commemorated on the Holy Trinity Church and Hesketh Golf Club Memorials.

He had been educated at Rugby School too and Kings College, Cambridge, where he took the degrees of BA and LL.D. He was articled to a firm of chartered accountants in Liverpool, and when he enlisted he was within two months of his final examination. He joined as a private on August 14th 1914 and received a commission two months later. The Southport Visiter reported that he also excelled at golf and a keen tennis player.

“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them”

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