Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday April 16th, 1915

COALVILLE POLICEMAN IN THE TRENCHES

INTERESTING LETTER

We have received the following interesting letter dated April 9th, from Lance-Corpl. T. Grainger, who before going to the war was a Coalville policeman residing in Gutteridge Street.

Dear Sir, - Just these few lines to let you know how the Coalville and District boys are going on. I am pleased to say that they are enjoying good health and are taking the rough with the smooth, and you can rely on them doing their bit of work when the time comes. We expect to start moving them back as soon as the weather permits, but I must say that this is the worst country I have been in for rain. You cannot trust it for five minutes, but we are looking forward to the fine weather now and then we shall be finished with the trenches for a time. We have done nothing else but trench work since we arrived in this country, and I must say we have had our share as we were in for 22 days at a stretch and we spent Christmas and New Year in digging, but we had a day off Christmas Day and pleased to say it was quiet for a time. The Germans showed themselves for once, but they went rather shaky. They were the Prussians, but the regiment on our left were quite civil; they left their trenches and pulled together with our men and exchanged souvenirs with us. We have been working with another regiment in our brigade since January and doing six days in the trenches and six days rest. It was nice and quiet for the first week or two but when war was declared we had to keep under and it is rather bad now as we are under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire and also a few shells just remind us that they have got a gun or two behind. But we know they have not got the best of ours now, if they had at the beginning of the war. Ours can bite quite as look and bite worse. Of course, we cannot see what damage they do in the way of casualties but they cannot all dodge them. I am sorry to say that the Coalville lads had a rough time during last month, but none serious. There were four in this battalion but they suffered much worse in the 2nd Battalion, and we heard of Corporal Sheffield and Sergeant Twigg being killed. We sometimes get hold of the “Coalville Times” and sometimes we don’t but I have heard the lads in my company say, “Have you had the ‘Times’ this week?” Then Sten Hardy will say, “Yes, so and so has got it.” Then there’s a run to the next company. By the time I get to the last man he has lost it or something worse, and we keep quiet until the next week and 10 to 1 it’s the same old tale I think I have told you all this time, but when I feel fit I will put a good letter together for the benefit of the old town.

Yours etc.
Lance-Corpl. T. Grainger

Coalville Times article - Friday November 19th, 1915

Coalville Ex-Policeman Killed - Run over by a motor car in Yorkshire on leave from the Front

We regret to record that a former Coalville policeman, Mr Thos. Grainger, who was recuperating in this country after having been wounded at the front, met with a fatal accident at Patrington, near Hull, on Saturday, being knocked down by a motor car. The deceased was an Oadby man, 26 years of age and single, and when war broke out was stationed at Coalville, lodging in Gutteridge Street. He joined the Leicester Regiment as a reservist and was a Lance-Corporal. In April last, he wrote us a cheery letter from the trenches where he was engaged for about 14 months, and was wounded about six weeks’ ago by a bomb. He was sent back to England and recently visited Coalville, having practically recovered from his wounds.

A sad feature of the case was that his mother received a postcard from him on Saturday to say that he would probably be home for the weekend, and a few minutes later received a telegram informing her of his death. At the inquest on Monday, the evidence showed that on account of the gale, Grainger and his companion, Private Wright, did not hear the approach of the car, which was being driven carefully. A verdict of ‘accidental death’ was returned. Sympathy was expressed by Lieut. Jennings and Mr Dixon, a farmer (the driver of the car) to the deceased’s relatives.

The funeral took place with military honours, at Oadby, on Wednesday afternoon. A detachment of the Leicestershire Regiment from Glen Parva Barracks, with full military band and firing party, attended the ceremony. Sergt.-Major Guerr was in command of the men, amongst whom was Private Buckingham V.C. Large crowds of people witnessed the procession as it passed along the village street, the band playing funeral marches. The Rev. J. Raine officiated at the service, the first portion of which was held in the Parish Church. A large number of residents attended at the graveside to pay their last respects to a brave Oadby lad. After the coffin, which bore the inscription: ‘Lance-Corporal T. Grainger, aged 26 years’, had been lowered into the grave, three volleys were fired and the Last Post sounded.

The chief mourners were the deceased’s mother and father, Mr and Mrs Tom Grainger, Gunner and Mrs Walter Davis, Mr and Mrs George Grainger, Mr and Mrs Jeffries, Sergt. Ted and Miss Doris Grainger, Corporal and Mrs Will Grainger, Leslie Grainger and Mrs S. Norman. Councillors L. Matthews and G. Wall. Floral emblems were sent by the deceased’s mother, father and family, comrades and band of the 2nd Leicesters, officers and comrades of the 3rd Leicesters, Oadby Adult School, Mrs Illston, and Mr and Mrs England. Mrs Annetts of 35, Gutteridge Street, Coalville, with whom the deceased lodged before the war, attended the funeral.

Coalville Times article - Friday May 7th, 1920

LOCAL CHIT CHAT

There has just been hung up in the office at the Coalville Police Station, and at every Police Station in Leicestershire, a handsomely-designed roll of honour, in oak frame, in connection with the war services of the Leicestershire County Constabulary. At the time war broke out, there were 202 men on the Force in the county and of these, no less than 70 joined the Colours. Ten made the supreme sacrifice, and two were totally incapacitated by wounds. Splendid portraits of the ten men who fell are given in the picture and it is noteworthy that three of them went from the Coalville district. They were P.C. L. Henson, who was stationed at New Swannington, and P.C.’s Clifford Page and T. Grainger, both of Coalville. Another of the killed was P.C. Prew, the son of a former Hugglescote constable. The names of all the men who served in the war appear on the Roll of Honour. Many of the men won war decorations and promotions. The members of the Force have defrayed the cost of the Roll of Honour by voluntary contributions.

Research undertaken and submitted (including photograph from the Coalville Times) by Andy Murby 10/09/2017