Charles GRANT

07 May 1915

INGLETON – WAR ITEMS

Several letters have been received at Ingleton during the past week, stating that the Ingleton Territorials have been under fire “somewhere in France.” Happily there have been no casualties.
Mrs. John Slinger, Albion House, who has five sons serving with the Colours, has received intimation during the past week that one of her sons has been wounded, and is now lying at the base hospital in France. The flag was hoisted half-mast high on St. Mary's steeple in memory of 2nd Lieutenant Kirk, and on Sunday the organist (Mr. C. Bentham) played the Dead March. His untimely death cast a gloom over the place, for it could be truly said of him that he had many friends, but few enemies. When the Germans, by the use of asphyxiating gases, compelled the French to retire, and thus expose the Canadian flank, Lieutenant Kirk was ordered to support the Canadians, and in leading his platoon he was shot through the chest. He was at once carried to the hospital, but succumbed to the injuries he had received. During the time he was in the trenches he had won the golden opinions of his men and brother officers by his gallantry and conspicuous courage.

Mr. Charles Grant, Hollin Tree, has been presumed to be dead. Some weeks ago he signed on as ship's cook at Hull. His vessel proceeded to the Tyne to take in a cargo, and it has never been heard of since. Probably his ship was sunk by a mine, or torpedoed, but the owners know absolutely nothing as to the fate of the vessel.

22 February 1918

INGLETON – IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN

A memorial service for Ingleton men who have fallen in the war was held in St. Mary’s Church on Sunday evening. There was a large congregation, and the service was of an impressive character. The Union Jack was hoisted half-mast on the tower during the day. At the commencement of the service the organist, Mr. C. Bentham, played ‘O rest in the Lord’, and at the conclusion the Dead March in ‘Saul’, 'How bright these glorious spirits shine’, and other hymns appropriate to the occasion were sung, as was also the National Anthem. Standing on the Chancel steps, Bugler J. Robinson sounded the ‘Last Post’, and its solemn and eerie notes reverberated along the aisles.

Before commencing his address, the vicar, the Rev. D. T. Davies, read out the list of those who had fallen, as follows:–

Killed in action: Second-Lieutenant G. Kirk, Sergeant J. Metcalfe, Privates A. Noble, G. Scholey, C. Tomlinson, J. Smith, W. A. Hodgson, J. W. Wadeson, J. W. Robinson, J. Clapham, W. Smith, J. Schofield, J. Kettlewell, W. Marklew, E. Askew, P. Fletcher, G. Metcalfe, A. M. Booth, J. Woodhouse, W. Bolton, and J. [W.H.W.] Wilson.

Died in hospital: Privates W. H. Wignall and C. Newsholme.

Torpedoed: C. Grant.

Missing; Sergeant R. E. Walker, Privates A. Sherwin, W. Northey, E. Robinson, J. Saul, and W. [J.C.] Bradford.

The Vicar, speaking from the words, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends’, said that the occasion brought them face in face with a question that was momentous to everyone, and the list which he had just read made them pause and ask the question, “Is the cause for which we are fighting of such a nature that these sacrifices are necessary?” They must remind themselves of the causes which led to the war. Our honour was pledged to protect a small country from an oppressing wrong, and we were compelled to stand by them. They were standing to protect a weak country from a fearful wrong committed by one of the strongest nations in the world – from a military point of view the strongest – a nation that was steadily prospering year after year and which had been training its manhood to satisfy its mad ambition for power. It was becoming clear, especially during the last few weeks, that the dominant note running through their proposals had been their determination that might should conquer over right, and that they would rule as masters over the whole world. When they analysed the causes they saw that the principles of justice and righteousness were struggling against oppression and wrong-doing. They had seen an attempt to impose injustice on the whole world, to impose the doctrine that might is right and mercy unknown by the will of one man, and to sweep away religion, man’s guidance, in a moment.

15 March 1918

GRANT – March10th, at Ingleton, Mrs. Charles Grant, aged 59 years.

[The widow of Steward Charles Grant.]