Frederick Percy Sydney Grimwood

Private 11402292 Frederic Percy Sydney Grimwood 6th Battalion Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) was killed in action 23rd January 1945.

Frederick Percy Sydney Grimwood was born 5th January 1918 when the family was living at Hammonds Cottage, Little Baddow, and baptised at Galleywood 7th April 1918. For most of his life he was known as George rather than Percy. He was the son of William Charles Sydney Grimwood, known as Sydney and his wife Jennetta Bessie nee Hunt who had married 14th October 1916 at St Michael and All Angels Church in Galleywood.

In 1939 when the registration of all residents took place Frederick was living at Hazeleigh Hall, Woodham Mortimer employed as a cowman and he was also registered as an air raid warden. At that time his parents, along with their daughter Kathleen, were living at No 3 Fennbrook Cottages, Wickford Road, South Woodham Ferrers and Sydney was employed as a horseman on a farm. Also living with them was Marjorie Street a domestic servant who, on 5th May 1944, married Frederick.

Frederick’s mother died in May 1940 at the age of just forty-five and was buried at St Mary’s Churchyard on 28th May

Frederick was killed in action on 23rd January 1945. He was a private No 11402292 in The 6th Battalion Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) and buried at Sittard War Cemetery near Limburg, Netherlands.He was just twenty-seven years old.

The Battalion had briefly landed in France in June 1940 as part of 157th Brigade, 52nd (Lowland) Division to cover the evacuation of troops from Cherbourg and were evacuated themselves by the end of the month. For the next few years they underwent various forms of training including for mountain combat.

In September 1944 the battalion returned to France and then fought up through France and Belgium rejoining the rest of 52nd Division and were involved in action to help open up the port of Antwerp to allow the easier supply of allied forces.

From 13th-26th January 1945 the division was involved in Operation Blackcock aimed at clearing out German troops from the area between the rivers Meuse and Roer.

Frederick was killed on the 23rd along with five of his mates and was buried along with them and more than 180 other casualties of the engagement at Sittard War Cemetery.

His wife married Arthur Curtis in 1951.