Shropshire war hero canal pioneer dies, aged 85

A Shropshire regiment hero of the Korean War who was later a pioneer in the modern restoration of the canal system has died at the age of 85.

Major Christopher 'Crick' Grundy also played an important role in founding the Shropshire Regimental Museum at Shrewsbury Castle.

He won the Military Cross while commanding a mortar platoon of the 1st Battalion of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry during the conflict in Korea.

During a 48-hour period of fierce fighting in November 1951, his mortars fired over 11,000 rounds.

The citation for his award of the MC said that constant shell fire over seven weeks had resulted in a steady drain of casualties and that his courage, leadership and skill had a major influence on the whole battle.

Major Grundy, who lived in Shropshire, was secretary of the trust which was created to make one regimental museum in Shrewsbury out of the four which had previously existed, and was instrumental in securing Shrewsbury Castle as its home.

He worked in the Light Infantry Office as regimental county secretary for Shropshire and Herefordshire from 1982 to 1992.

His parents had both been canal boaters and their enthusiasm rubbed off on him as one of the leading lights in the modern canal restoration movement.

As honorary secretary of the Upper Avon Navigation Trust, he was involved in the reopening of part of the river for navigation.