Company Sergeant Major George Gristock
To read a special article written by historian and journalist Steve Snelling on the bravery of George Gristock click here.
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Photographs of the cemetery and grave of George Gristock by courtesy of Michael Duthoit. Illustration of the Gristock VC action courtesy of the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum, Norwich. The action shot is one of a series of paintings commissioned by the Royal Norfolk Regiment to commemorate their VC winners.
On Sunday May 19th, 1940, The 2nd Battalion The Royal Norfolks received orders to withdraw to Froidment close to the River Escaut where, upon arrival at the end of the day, defensive slit trenches were dug. Tournai, close by, was under heavy aerial attack.
On May 21st the Battalion was under heavy mortar and machine gun fire. Major Charlton (Commanding Officer following Lieutenant Colonel de Wilton’s withdrawal due to ill health on 17th May) and Major Marshall (the Adjutant) were wounded at Battalion HQ at Calonne. Major Lisle Ryder became Commanding Officer and Capt. Charles Long his Adjutant.
Suddenly the Battalion was attacked from their side of the canal. Capt. Peter Barclay (wounded) directed Company Sergeant Major George Gristock to take a small force of men to deal with the situation.
The summary of the action in which won George Gristock his Victoria Cross together with his family history is now taken up by Mark Green from his website www.vconline.org.uk and is reproduced by his kind permission. You can access this web site by clicking here.
On 21st May, 1940, near the River Escaut, Belgium, south of Tournai, Company Sergeant-Major Gristock organised a party of eight riflemen and went forward to cover the company's right flank, where the enemy had broken through. He then went on with one man under heavy fire and was severely wounded in both legs, but having gained his fire position undetected, he managed to put out of action a machine-gun which was inflicting heavy casualties and kill the crew of four. He then dragged himself back to the right flank position but refused to be evacuated until contact with the battalion had been established.
Gristock and Captain Peter Barclay, who was commanding A Company, were both taken to the Regimental Aid Post. Sharing a corner of the RAP with George was Ernie Leggett, who had been badly wounded in the cement factory by enemy mortar fire.
Initially left for dead, he was rescued by Lance Corporal John Woodrow and “Bunt” Bloxham. Gristock and Leggett would meet again in the Royal County Hospital in Brighton, where Leggett was horrified to find out that his CSM had had both legs amputated at the hip. “I used to stay with him for half an hour or an hour. Every day they would wheel me through. Then came that horrible morning on 16th June when they hadn’t come and got me.”
Sadly, George had never recovered from his wounds and died that day, 16th June 1940. He was buried in a Commonwealth War Graves plot in Bear Road Cemetery, Brighton, Sussex. His medals including the VC, 1939-45 Star, War Medal 1939-45, and Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal are held by the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum in Norwich.
Family History
George Gristock (1905-1940) was born on 14th January 1905 in Pretoria, South Africa, the second eldest of six children born to George Gristock (1870-1957), originally from Somerset, and Edith Emily Gristock, who was born in Guernsey. He had two brothers, William and Thomas, and three sisters Edith, Millicent, and Averil. By 1910, the family were living in England, and were in Hounslow, Middlesex, when Thomas and Averil were born. George Gristock senior was in the military, serving in 1st Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Dragoon Guards and, at the time of the 1911 Census, the Gristock family was living in the 2nd Dragoon Guards Barracks at Wellington Lines, Aldershot.
After schooling, George enlisted with the Royal Norfolk Regiment and was at the rank of Warrant Officer Class II at the outbreak of World War II. Just prior to the action which led to the award of his VC, he was holding the appointment of Company Sergeant Major.
George Gristock’s Victoria Cross Citation
War Office, 23rd August, 1940. The KING has been pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned: —
No. 391398 Warrant Officer Class II (Company Sergeant-Major) George Gristock, The Royal Norfolk Regiment.
For most conspicuous gallantry on the 21st May, 1940, when his company was holding a position on the line of the River Escaut, south of Tournai. After a prolonged attack, the enemy succeeded in breaking through beyond the company's right flank which was consequently threatened. Company Sergeant-Major Gristock having organised a party of eight riflemen from company headquarters, went forward to cover the right flank.
Realising that an enemy machine-gun had moved forward to a position from which it was inflicting heavy casualties on his company, Company Sergeant-Major Gristock went on, with one man as connecting file, to try to put it out of action. Whilst advancing, he came under heavy machine-gun fire from the opposite bank and was severely wounded in both legs, his right knee being badly smashed. He nevertheless gained his fire position, some twenty yards from the enemy machine-gun post, undetected, and by well-aimed rapid fire killed the machine-gun crew of four and put their gun out of action. He then dragged himself back to the right flank position from which he refused to be evacuated until contact with the battalion on the right had been established and the line once more made good.
By his gallant action, the position of the company was secured, and many casualties prevented. Company Sergeant-Major Gristock has since died of his wounds.
George Gristock’s Military History
Date of Enlistment: 18th March, 1919, Dragoon Guards.
Transferred: 31st July, 1927 to Cavalry of the Line.
26th November, 1935 to The Royal Norfolk Regiment.
Promotions: Corporal 14th April, 1929.
Sergeant 26th August, 1931.
War Sub. W.O. III 1st December, 1939.
War Sub. W.O. II 20th May, 1940.
Comment on CSM George Gristock V.C by Bob Brown
“Pre war, I knew him as a company sergeant major and was sometimes attached to his company as a signaller. It was all Morse code in those days and George had been a signaller earlier on so would sometimes take over and take a message instead of me having to do it “gotta keep your hand in boy” he’d say.”
On May 21st the Battalion was under heavy mortar and machine gun fire. Major Charlton (Commanding Officer following Lieutenant Colonel de Wilton’s withdrawal due to ill health on 17th May) and Major Marshall (the Adjutant) were wounded at Battalion HQ at Calonne. Major Lisle Ryder became Commanding Officer and Capt. Charles Long his Adjutant.
Suddenly the Battalion was attacked from their side of the canal. Capt. Peter Barclay (wounded) directed Company Sergeant Major George Gristock to take a small force of men to deal with the situation.
The summary of the action in which won George Gristock his Victoria Cross together with his family history is now taken up by Mark Green from his website www.vconline.org.uk and is reproduced by his kind permission. You can access this web site by clicking here.
On 21st May, 1940, near the River Escaut, Belgium, south of Tournai, Company Sergeant-Major Gristock organised a party of eight riflemen and went forward to cover the company's right flank, where the enemy had broken through. He then went on with one man under heavy fire and was severely wounded in both legs, but having gained his fire position undetected, he managed to put out of action a machine-gun which was inflicting heavy casualties and kill the crew of four. He then dragged himself back to the right flank position but refused to be evacuated until contact with the battalion had been established.
Gristock and Captain Peter Barclay, who was commanding A Company, were both taken to the Regimental Aid Post. Sharing a corner of the RAP with George was Ernie Leggett, who had been badly wounded in the cement factory by enemy mortar fire.
Initially left for dead, he was rescued by Lance Corporal John Woodrow and “Bunt” Bloxham. Gristock and Leggett would meet again in the Royal County Hospital in Brighton, where Leggett was horrified to find out that his CSM had had both legs amputated at the hip. “I used to stay with him for half an hour or an hour. Every day they would wheel me through. Then came that horrible morning on 16th June when they hadn’t come and got me.”
Sadly, George had never recovered from his wounds and died that day, 16th June 1940. He was buried in a Commonwealth War Graves plot in Bear Road Cemetery, Brighton, Sussex. His medals including the VC, 1939-45 Star, War Medal 1939-45, and Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal are held by the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum in Norwich.
Family History
George Gristock (1905-1940) was born on 14th January 1905 in Pretoria, South Africa, the second eldest of six children born to George Gristock (1870-1957), originally from Somerset, and Edith Emily Gristock, who was born in Guernsey. He had two brothers, William and Thomas, and three sisters Edith, Millicent, and Averil. By 1910, the family were living in England, and were in Hounslow, Middlesex, when Thomas and Averil were born. George Gristock senior was in the military, serving in 1st Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Dragoon Guards and, at the time of the 1911 Census, the Gristock family was living in the 2nd Dragoon Guards Barracks at Wellington Lines, Aldershot.
After schooling, George enlisted with the Royal Norfolk Regiment and was at the rank of Warrant Officer Class II at the outbreak of World War II. Just prior to the action which led to the award of his VC, he was holding the appointment of Company Sergeant Major.
George Gristock’s Victoria Cross Citation
War Office, 23rd August, 1940. The KING has been pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned: —
No. 391398 Warrant Officer Class II (Company Sergeant-Major) George Gristock, The Royal Norfolk Regiment.
For most conspicuous gallantry on the 21st May, 1940, when his company was holding a position on the line of the River Escaut, south of Tournai. After a prolonged attack, the enemy succeeded in breaking through beyond the company's right flank which was consequently threatened. Company Sergeant-Major Gristock having organised a party of eight riflemen from company headquarters, went forward to cover the right flank.
Realising that an enemy machine-gun had moved forward to a position from which it was inflicting heavy casualties on his company, Company Sergeant-Major Gristock went on, with one man as connecting file, to try to put it out of action. Whilst advancing, he came under heavy machine-gun fire from the opposite bank and was severely wounded in both legs, his right knee being badly smashed. He nevertheless gained his fire position, some twenty yards from the enemy machine-gun post, undetected, and by well-aimed rapid fire killed the machine-gun crew of four and put their gun out of action. He then dragged himself back to the right flank position from which he refused to be evacuated until contact with the battalion on the right had been established and the line once more made good.
By his gallant action, the position of the company was secured, and many casualties prevented. Company Sergeant-Major Gristock has since died of his wounds.
George Gristock’s Military History
Date of Enlistment: 18th March, 1919, Dragoon Guards.
Transferred: 31st July, 1927 to Cavalry of the Line.
26th November, 1935 to The Royal Norfolk Regiment.
Promotions: Corporal 14th April, 1929.
Sergeant 26th August, 1931.
War Sub. W.O. III 1st December, 1939.
War Sub. W.O. II 20th May, 1940.
Comment on CSM George Gristock V.C by Bob Brown
“Pre war, I knew him as a company sergeant major and was sometimes attached to his company as a signaller. It was all Morse code in those days and George had been a signaller earlier on so would sometimes take over and take a message instead of me having to do it “gotta keep your hand in boy” he’d say.”
THE FIGHTING on the RIVER ESCAUT
Capt. Charles Long (prior to being awarded his M.C.)
The intensity of the fighting on the River Escaut is summed up by the words in the diary of the newly appointed Adjutant, Capt. Charles Long
21st May 1940
0100 hrs (approx.) A/Lt. Colonel Charlton, Major Marshall & 2/Lt Buckingham wounded – Major Ryder became A/Lt. Colonel, Captain Long became Adjutant, No. 2I/c appointed – Captain Gordon O.C H.Q Coy in addition to duties as S.O. (Editor Note Signals Officer). Fierce attacks supported by Artillery fire all day. Enemy attacking in massed formation – Heavy enemy casualties from M. G and S. A’s fire (Editor Note Machine Gun and Small Arms) – Bn casualties heavy, chiefly from heavy mortar fire. – On two occasions during day fears of breakthrough – Bn H.Q Alarm Posts manned – attacks repulsed – H.Q casualties from Artillery fire – Attacks continued all day – “C” Coy brought in line during a counter attack. During the night Lt Woodwark was sent back from “C” Coy to report a break through between “C” & 8/Lan. Fus. The situation was reported as desperate. The 8/Lan.Fus. flank was reported to be wheeling backwards, Bde informed – A Coy of supporting Bn was sent up to cover the increasing gap – “C” Coy managed to repulse the attack – Attack made over a small partially mined bridge or lock gate. Capt Allen and Barclay wounded & evacuated – Lt Yallop to command “A” Coy, Lt Edgeworth to command "B” Coy. Intermittent firing all night.
Capt. Robert Hastings (Attached from the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry)
Capt. Robert Hastings in his papers recorded the following fighting on the Escaut
The River Escaut was to form the site of the first scale encounter with the Germans that the battalion had, so I will interpose a short description of the situation generally.
The Germans had followed our withdrawal very quickly and were now in Tournai. Their advance during the day had reached the northern banks of the Escaut and was temporarily held up owing to the demolition of the bridges. Any further advance on the part of the Germans was now to be resisted and our Battalion and others, had gone into defensive positions on the south bank of the river for that purpose. 'D' company were on the left in the suburbs of Trondemont, as I have described, and the Battalion front extended for about a mile along the river banks.
'C' company were in position on the right. 'A' and 'B' companies were both up in intermediate positions and the Lancashire Fusiliers had a similar front to the right of our Battalion and on the right of them were the Royal Scots. These three Battalions comprised the 4th Infantry Brigade and it will be noticed that there is no Battalion in reserve. It will also be noticed that all our companies are in forward positions and there is thus no reserve within the Battalion. This is very bad from a military point of view, which always emphasises the vital necessity of organising in-depth; but these are exceptionally wide fronts for all the units concerned and it can't be helped.
Against such positions it is not to be expected that the enemy will attack evenly along the whole line. Such would be very bad tactics. The attacker will rather try to select one point, which will be convenient to himself, where he thinks he will find a weakness in the defence and concentrate the main weight of his attack on this point. In the last war, junctions between units were always found to be a possible source of weakness and this had been proved again on the Dyle in the present war when the Germans attacked successfully between the British and the French.
In the present case the spearhead of the German attack appeared to be concentrated on the junction between ourselves and the Lancashire Fusiliers. Companies on the right of our front, 'B' and 'C', had a very bad time indeed and reinforcements had to be asked for. Owing to the difficulty of getting any reinforcements at all these were at first refused, but later they were reluctantly supplied and a force of Cameroons or Welsh (editor's note - Welch) Fusiliers were put into counter attack. Had this not been done the line could not have been held intact. C company and the left flank of the Lancashire Fusiliers also suffered from a tragic mistake made by our own artillery at this time.
An SOS was put up for artillery support and support was given, but owing it was said to the difficulty of reconciling the ground with the maps and by resulting confusion between two churches, the shells fell 400 yards short. By the time urgent telephone messages succeeded in getting the concentration lifted, a number of British lives had been lost. At least three men were killed in 'C' company, the Lancashire Fusiliers lost many more. I think I was told.
The battle on the Escaut lasted three days, from 20 to 22 May. Of our companies, B and C had the heaviest casualties; but casualties were heavy all round and by the time we withdrew the battalion was little more than half its original strength. In officers, we lost the commanding officer, the adjutant and two company commanders; viz-acting Lt.Col. Charlton, Maj. Marshall, Capts. Allen and Barclay. All were wounded and evacuated to England. Also second lieutenants Potter and Buckingham, both evacuated to UK.
Captain Charles W A Long's notes: As a result of these casualties a large reshuffle had to be made within the Battalion. Ryder took over command and Long, who had formerly been second in command of 'B' company, became Adjutant, and Lieuts. Yallop and Edgeworth commanded 'A' and 'B' companies respectively. Actually Ryder had been second in command of the battalion since Grammant. Long had been Officer in Command of HQ Company for same period.
I was taken away from 'D' company to perform the work that Ryder himself had been doing previously, viz OC. Headquarters company and second in command of the Battalion. This rather unusual step was apparently made because neither Richardson or Elwes, who were both senior to me wanted to leave their companies as they felt that their men would be likely to fight better under their own officers who knew them than under an officer who was strange to the Battalion, as I was. This arrangement proved eventually to be a very fortunate one for me, as all the four officers who commanded companies at this time were killed during the next few days.
Capt. Charles Long (prior to being awarded his M.C.)
The intensity of the fighting on the River Escaut is summed up by the words in the diary of the newly appointed Adjutant, Capt. Charles Long
21st May 1940
0100 hrs (approx.) A/Lt. Colonel Charlton, Major Marshall & 2/Lt Buckingham wounded – Major Ryder became A/Lt. Colonel, Captain Long became Adjutant, No. 2I/c appointed – Captain Gordon O.C H.Q Coy in addition to duties as S.O. (Editor Note Signals Officer). Fierce attacks supported by Artillery fire all day. Enemy attacking in massed formation – Heavy enemy casualties from M. G and S. A’s fire (Editor Note Machine Gun and Small Arms) – Bn casualties heavy, chiefly from heavy mortar fire. – On two occasions during day fears of breakthrough – Bn H.Q Alarm Posts manned – attacks repulsed – H.Q casualties from Artillery fire – Attacks continued all day – “C” Coy brought in line during a counter attack. During the night Lt Woodwark was sent back from “C” Coy to report a break through between “C” & 8/Lan. Fus. The situation was reported as desperate. The 8/Lan.Fus. flank was reported to be wheeling backwards, Bde informed – A Coy of supporting Bn was sent up to cover the increasing gap – “C” Coy managed to repulse the attack – Attack made over a small partially mined bridge or lock gate. Capt Allen and Barclay wounded & evacuated – Lt Yallop to command “A” Coy, Lt Edgeworth to command "B” Coy. Intermittent firing all night.
Capt. Robert Hastings (Attached from the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry)
Capt. Robert Hastings in his papers recorded the following fighting on the Escaut
The River Escaut was to form the site of the first scale encounter with the Germans that the battalion had, so I will interpose a short description of the situation generally.
The Germans had followed our withdrawal very quickly and were now in Tournai. Their advance during the day had reached the northern banks of the Escaut and was temporarily held up owing to the demolition of the bridges. Any further advance on the part of the Germans was now to be resisted and our Battalion and others, had gone into defensive positions on the south bank of the river for that purpose. 'D' company were on the left in the suburbs of Trondemont, as I have described, and the Battalion front extended for about a mile along the river banks.
'C' company were in position on the right. 'A' and 'B' companies were both up in intermediate positions and the Lancashire Fusiliers had a similar front to the right of our Battalion and on the right of them were the Royal Scots. These three Battalions comprised the 4th Infantry Brigade and it will be noticed that there is no Battalion in reserve. It will also be noticed that all our companies are in forward positions and there is thus no reserve within the Battalion. This is very bad from a military point of view, which always emphasises the vital necessity of organising in-depth; but these are exceptionally wide fronts for all the units concerned and it can't be helped.
Against such positions it is not to be expected that the enemy will attack evenly along the whole line. Such would be very bad tactics. The attacker will rather try to select one point, which will be convenient to himself, where he thinks he will find a weakness in the defence and concentrate the main weight of his attack on this point. In the last war, junctions between units were always found to be a possible source of weakness and this had been proved again on the Dyle in the present war when the Germans attacked successfully between the British and the French.
In the present case the spearhead of the German attack appeared to be concentrated on the junction between ourselves and the Lancashire Fusiliers. Companies on the right of our front, 'B' and 'C', had a very bad time indeed and reinforcements had to be asked for. Owing to the difficulty of getting any reinforcements at all these were at first refused, but later they were reluctantly supplied and a force of Cameroons or Welsh (editor's note - Welch) Fusiliers were put into counter attack. Had this not been done the line could not have been held intact. C company and the left flank of the Lancashire Fusiliers also suffered from a tragic mistake made by our own artillery at this time.
An SOS was put up for artillery support and support was given, but owing it was said to the difficulty of reconciling the ground with the maps and by resulting confusion between two churches, the shells fell 400 yards short. By the time urgent telephone messages succeeded in getting the concentration lifted, a number of British lives had been lost. At least three men were killed in 'C' company, the Lancashire Fusiliers lost many more. I think I was told.
The battle on the Escaut lasted three days, from 20 to 22 May. Of our companies, B and C had the heaviest casualties; but casualties were heavy all round and by the time we withdrew the battalion was little more than half its original strength. In officers, we lost the commanding officer, the adjutant and two company commanders; viz-acting Lt.Col. Charlton, Maj. Marshall, Capts. Allen and Barclay. All were wounded and evacuated to England. Also second lieutenants Potter and Buckingham, both evacuated to UK.
Captain Charles W A Long's notes: As a result of these casualties a large reshuffle had to be made within the Battalion. Ryder took over command and Long, who had formerly been second in command of 'B' company, became Adjutant, and Lieuts. Yallop and Edgeworth commanded 'A' and 'B' companies respectively. Actually Ryder had been second in command of the battalion since Grammant. Long had been Officer in Command of HQ Company for same period.
I was taken away from 'D' company to perform the work that Ryder himself had been doing previously, viz OC. Headquarters company and second in command of the Battalion. This rather unusual step was apparently made because neither Richardson or Elwes, who were both senior to me wanted to leave their companies as they felt that their men would be likely to fight better under their own officers who knew them than under an officer who was strange to the Battalion, as I was. This arrangement proved eventually to be a very fortunate one for me, as all the four officers who commanded companies at this time were killed during the next few days.