Robert Cuthbert Grieve VC (1889 - 1957)

Ancestors

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 The Great War 1.2 Victoria Cross 1.3 Post-war 1.4 Final parade 2 Sources

Biography

Captain Robert Grieve VC

Robert Grieve VC was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the Commonwealth's highest award for valour in the face of the enemy. This certainly makes him Notable, however, Robert displayed the ANZAC spirit throughout his life. He lost his wife (who had been his nurse following his valiant episode) after just eleven years, and they had no children. He also survived his only sibling. But, Robert ran a prosperous business and was a philanthropist to his very end. For this, he was recognised by his community as a 'hero'.

Robert Cuthbert Grieve was born in 1889 in Brighton, Victoria (Australia). He was the son of John Grieve and Annie Deas née Brown. ^[1] He was educated at Caulfield Grammar School and then Wesley College. ^[2]

Robert became an interstate commercial traveller in the softgoods trade. In September 1913 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Victorian Rangers, a militia unit of the Australian Army. ^[2]

The Great War

Robert transferred to the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 16th June 1915 ^[3] and embarked on 3rd June 1916 aboard HMAT Persic A34 as a Lieutenant with reinforcements for the 37th Australian Infantry Battalion. ^[4] In February 1917 Robert was promoted to Captain and given command of 'A' Company, 37th Battalion. On the Western Front he served at Armentières, Bois-Grenier, L'Epinette, Ploegsteert Wood, Messines, La Basse Ville, and Warneton. ^[5] The 37th Battalion was a unit of the 10th Brigade, 3rd Division and, therefore, a unit of 1st Australian & New Zealand Army Corps (I ANZAC) and, later, II ANZAC.

Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

Robert Grieve was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in June 1917 at Messines. ^[6] The accompanying citation reads: "On 7 June 1917 at Messines, Belgium, during an attack on the enemy's position, and after his own company had suffered very heavy casualties, Captain Grieve located two hostile machine-guns which were holding up his advance. Under continuous heavy fire from the two guns, he succeeded in bombing and killing the two gun crews, then reorganized the remnants of his own company and gained his original objective. Captain Grieve set a splendid example and when he finally fell, wounded, the position had been secured." ^[5]

Severely wounded in the shoulder by a sniper's bullet, Robert was admitted to the 9th Australian Field Ambulance, before being evacuated to England, and on recovery returned to his unit in October. However, due to subsequently suffering acute trench nephritis and double pneumonia, he was invalided to Australia 8th April 1918 and subsequently de-mobilised on 28th June. ^[2] He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service during the war.

Post-war

On 7th August 1918, in St Andrew's Scots Church, Sydney, Robert married the lady who had nursed him during his recuperation, Sister May Isabel Bowman of the Australian Army Nursing Service. May was nine years Robert's senior. ^[7] Sadly, the couple had no children and May passed away in London in 1929, aged 48 years. ^[2]

Post-war, Robert remained a Captain in the Militia for some years, however, had resigned his commission prior to 1933. ^[8] He established Grieve, Gardner & Co., softgoods warehousemen, in Flinders Lane, Melbourne, and was managing director until his death. He was an active supporter of Wesley College for many years and contributed towards an annual scholarship. ^[2]

The mayor and councillors of Malvern Council presented Robert with an illuminated scroll as a sign of respect to a 'hero'. As a VC recipient, Robert was also awarded both the King George VI Coronation Medal (1937) and Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953).

Final parade

Aged 68 years, Robert passed away of cardiac failure on 4th October 1957 in Melbourne and was buried with military honours in Springvale Cemetery, Victoria. ^[9] His only sibling, his sister Euphemia, had passed away just months earlier. Robert was survived only by his brother-in-law, Henry Rolland, and nephew, John Rolland.

Robert Grieve's medal set

Robert Grieve's VC and medals were presented by his family to Wesley College in 1959, and has been lent to the Shrine of Remembrance, where it is on permanent display. ^[10] The medal set comprises (from left):

• Victoria Cross, 1917
• British War Medal, 1918
• Victory Medal, 1918
• King George VI Coronation Medal, 1937
• Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal, 1953

Sources

1. ↑ Victoria Birth Index #18944/1889
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Darryl McIntyre, 'Grieve, Robert Cuthbert (1889–1957)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1983; accessed online 20 Apr 2019
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Captain Robert Cuthbert Grieve; accessed 20 Apr 2019
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial embarkation roll: Lieutenant Robert Cuthbert Grieve; accessed 20 Apr 2019
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Blanch, Craig and Pegram, Aaron. For Valour: Australians awarded the Victoria Cross. New South Publishing, Sydney NSW, 2018. ISBN 978 17422 35424
6. ↑ London Gazette 31 Jul 1917 Supplement: 30215 Page: 7905; accessed 20 Apr 2019
7. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #7080/1918
8. ↑ he never received the Volunteer Officers' Decoration for twenty years servicce
9. ↑ Victoria Death Index #13775/1957
10. ↑ Wikipedia profile: Robert Grieve