Mr John Taylor, Chairman Shrine of Remembrance Trust, receives the WW1 Victoria Cross from Wesley College student Asha Niall. Members from 4 Bde witnessed the handover ceremony. L-R: Pte Karl Colthup, Capt Michael Lee, Capt Matt Haar, SSgt Ian Dunlop and Lt James Jones. Photo provided by Peter Meehan, PACC Vic

VC laid to rest

Four Bde, Victoria’s own reserve unit that grew from the birth of 37th (Vic) Battalion, WW1 Australian Imperial Force, was represented by brigade members at a moving Victoria Cross (VC) ceremony at Wesley College in Melbourne last month.

The WW1 VC, awarded to former Wesley student Robert Grieve and 37th Battalion soldier, was handed over from the College keepers of the medal, to Trust personnel from the Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne.

The medal ‘For Valour,’ the only VC in possession of the Shrine, will become the centrepiece of a new Gallery of Medals display, when the $2 million Shrine refurbishment project opens to the public on August 17.

More than 500 ceremony attendees were held spellbound when the history behind the VC was unfolded by Maj-Gen (Retd) David McLachlan, State President RSL (Vic Branch.)

With skilful detail, the former top soldier told of the heroics and sacrifice that occurred during the fierce battle that resulted in Robert Grieve (dec.), from the Melbourne suburb of Brighton, being awarded the VC.

Capt Robert Grieve, the nephew of SM John Grieve, also a VC recipient in the 1854 Crimean War, was awarded the VC for outstanding bravery during the Battle of Messines in Belgium.

On June 7, 1917, during an attack on the enemy’s position, and after his own company had suffered very heavy casualties, Capt Grieve located two enemy machine gunners in a concrete ‘pill box’ who were holding up the advance.

Such was the mayhem, 37th Battalion soldiers, many dead, dying or wounded, littered the bomb craters. Grieve, the only officer to survive the battle, was positioned in a shallow crater, 100 metres from the enemy gunners.

The desperation of the battle gave rise to a fearless single handed attack by Grieve on the German position.

While under continuous heavy fire from these two gun crews, he advanced by shielding in the smoke haze created by incoming shell fire.

Approaching the German gunners on their flank, he was able to insert two Mills grenades inside the pill box by reaching, unnoticed, up to the slit windows.

He then moved to the rear of the enemy gun position and braced himself for arm to arm combat.

There was no retaliation.

With the enemy dead at his feet, Grieve climbed onto the parapet of the enemy gun position, stood upright and signalled – all clear!

That one movement almost cost him his life.

A lone German sniper took careful aim from 75 metres away and shot Capt Grieve, resulting in a severe shoulder injury that smashed the bone in his upper arm.

With utter disregard of danger, he selflessly reorganised the remnants of his own company and pushed forward to gain his original objective.

Grieve finally fell wounded after the position had been secured.

Upon his death in 1957, the VC was bequeathed to Wesley College in 1959 and put on display in the War Memorial library, located within the College, until fire completely destroyed the library in 1989.

Fortunately, a College teacher found the medal while rummaging through the ashes, shortly after the fire.

As the VC was made of gunmetal, it didn’t melt.

Capt Robert Grieve was an active supporter of Wesley College for many years and contributed towards an annual scholarship.

The home room at Wesley College is named in his honour.

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