Commanding Officer, 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Grimshaw joined the Canadian Forces in 1989 immediately upon graduation from High School in Kinston, ON.  He was commissioned into the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) after graduating from the Royal Military College (RMC) of Canada in 1993 with a BA in Military and Strategic Studies.  LCol Grimshaw began his Regimental duty with the Second Battalion, (2PPCLI) in Winnipeg, MB, serving as a rifle platoon commander and later as Reconnaissance Platoon Commander.  During this initial Regimental posting, he deployed with 2PPCLI to Croatia in 1993 as part of UNPROFOR, as well as Bosnia in 1997 under the NATO SFOR mission. 

In 1998, LCol Grimshaw completed the Land Force Technical Staff Program at RMC and was subsequently posted to the Land Force Trials and Evaluations Unit in Gagetown until 2001, during which time he completed a Masters of Applied Military Science degree.   He returned to 2PPCLI, served in a number of positions including 2IC Combat Support Company, 2IC Administration Company, and Adjutant, and deployed once again to the Balkans in 2003 for SFOR Roto 12. 

After completing the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College, Army Operations Course in 2003, LCol Grimshaw moved with 2PPCLI to Shilo, MB and served as Officer Commanding Combat Support Company.  He assumed command of B Company in the summer of 2005 and subsequently deployed in January 2006 to Afghanistan with the 1PPCLI Battle Group (Task Force Orion) under Operation Enduring Freedom.   LCol Grimshaw was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his actions as a Company Commander during that mission.  Immediately upon returning to Canada, LCol Grimshaw was posted to Ottawa, ON to the Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM), as a mission desk officer for Afghanistan in the J3 cell. 

LCol Grimshaw completed the Joint Command and Staff Program in 2009, receiving a Masters of Defence Studies degree, and was promoted to his current rank.  Upon completion of this course he served as the J5 Plans Officer at the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) where he was involved in developing Canada’s National Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which was recently published in 2011.   In July 2011 LCol Grimshaw was posted to Edmonton to re-join the 1st Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group as the Chief of Staff.  LCol Grimshaw is an avid runner, enjoys loud music and military history, and often spends his spare time working on home improvement projects to varying degrees of success.  He currently resides in St. Albert, AB, with his wife Joanna and their two daughters, Rowen and Jamie who do their best to keep him occupied a swim meets, ringette tournaments and soccer games.