Robert Grieve
| Robert Cuthbert Grieve | |
|---|---|
Captain Robert Grieve c.1917
|
|
| Born |
19 June 1889 Brighton, Victoria |
| Died | 4 October 1957 (aged 68) Melbourne, Victoria |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/branch | Australian Imperial Force |
| Years of service | 1915–18 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 37th Battalion |
| Battles/wars |
First World War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
First World War
Robert Cuthbert Grieve, VC (19 June 1889 – 4 October 1957) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Born in Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne, to John and Annie Deas Grieve (née Brown), Grieve was educated at Caulfield Grammar School and then Wesley College. He became an interstate commercial traveller in the softgoods trade.
After nine months service in the Victorian Rangers, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force as a private on 9 June 1915. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 37th Battalion in January 1916, was promoted to lieutenant in May 1916, and after training in England, was promoted to captain in France in February 1917.
In France he served at Armentières, Bois-Grenier, L'Epinette, Ploegsteert Wood, Messines, La Basse Ville, and Warneton.
He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Messines. The announcement and accompanying citation for the award was published in a supplement to the London Gazette of 31 July 1917, reading:
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.
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