Charles Edward Grimshaw was born in 1907 or 1908. He was the son of Hainsworth and Ann Elizabeth Grimshaw. He was married to Ann Robinson Grimshaw and lived in Bradford.

Not much is known about Charles. He joined the Royal Air Force and became an wireless operator/air gunner with 460 squadron RAAF operating out of Binbrook. At age 35, he was one of the older members of the squadron.

On 15 June 1943, Sgt Grimshaw and his crew boarded Lancaster DV160 for a mission against Oberhausen. This would be their third operation.

His crew consisted of:

460 Squadron

Sgt Roger Ernest Crook
Sgt J.R. Morrison RAAF
Sgt Stanley Joseph Marriage RAAF
Sgt Clement Ralph Buckeridge RAAF
Sgt Charles Edward Grimshaw
Sgt Gordon William George Fletcher
Sgt Donald Ross Grant RAAF

They took off from their base at Binbrook at 22.57 on 14 June 1943.  They were shot down by a night-fighter crashing at 02.21 at Schellingwoude (Noord Holland) in the North East suburbs of Amsterdam.

After the war, Sgt Morrison stated that he was near F/S Buckeridge when the plane was attacked. Shortly after that, the plane exploded mid air and Sgt Morrison was thrown clear of the plane and opened his parachute. Only Sgt. Morrison survived to be taken PoW. He was interned in Camps 9C/L6/L4 as PoW No.42783.

The rest of the crew are buried at Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. 

Sgt Grimshaw is buried at the Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats in Amsterdam Plot 69. Row C. Coll. grave 17.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

See Also:
F/S Clement Buckeridge
F/S Stanley Marriage
F/S Donald Grant
Sgt Roger Crook
Sgt Gorden Fletcher

Sources:
Australian War Memorial
CWGC Website
460 Squadron crew list
 

Directions to Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats

If you have any suggestions, comments or additional information, please contact me.

This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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