Alma Adolphus Grant

1/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) Alma Adolphus Grant attested on 7 September 1914 at Newark. He was 18 yrs and 10 months old and an apprentice at Ransome and Marles Company, Newark. He lived at 14 Charles Street, Newark. He was posted to the Army Reserve and mobilised on 16th November 1914 to the 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters when he transferred to embodied service. Alma was appointed lance corporal on 5 December 1914 and posted to the 1/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters on 28 June 1915. He embarked at Southampton the same day, disembarking at Rouen, France, on 29 June. He was killed in action a year later on 27 June 1916. The Battalion had moved to Foncquevillers on 18 June, taking over 'part of the left sub-sector' from the 5th Lincolns. A violent thunderstorm on the 23rd left the Battalion with a great deal of work to drain and repair the trenches which were filled to a depth of two feet with mud and water. In advance of the British forces anticipated attack on the enemy, there then began an artillery bombardment lasting six days which, unsurprisingly, caused 'a certain amount of retaliation which added to our trouble.' The history of the Battalion recorded an increase in casualties in the front line trenches but on 27 June, the date of Alma's death, the Battalion was relieved by the Regiment's 5th Battalion and moved back to Pommier. The Battalion suffered 17 casualties between 3 and 27 June, including two on 27th, Grant and Pte Fred William Bonser. ('The Sherwood Foresters in the Great War 1914-1919, 1/8th Battalion', Captain WCC Weetman MC CdeG). Alma was buried in Foncquevillers Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France (grave ref. I.F.22). Private Bonser was buried in the same cemetery (grave ref. I.F.19. See record on this Roll of Honour). Alma qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal (see 'Extra information'). CWGC - History of Foncquevillers Military Cemetery (extract): The village of Foncquevillers is about 18km from the town of Arras. 'In 1915 and 1916 the Allied front line ran between Foncquevillers and Gommecourt. The cemetery was begun by French troops, and taken over by Commonweatlh forces. It remained in use by units and field ambulances until March 1917, the burials in July 1916 (particularly in Plot I, Row L) being especially numerous. The cemetery was used again from March to August 1918, when the German offensive brought the front line back to nearly the old position. Seventy-four graves were brought in after the Armistice from the battlefields of 1916 and 1918 to the east of the village.' (www.cwgc.org)

Alma's brother Harry Dawson joined the Royal Artillery in February 1904. He was 19 years old and employed as a butcher. He was posted to the Royal Garrison Artillery (18166/1401857 Gunner, Lance Bombardier) and served in India with No. 8 Mountain Battery (General Service Medal 1908) and then with the BEF France from 30 December 1914 (1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal). He later served with the British Forces in Turkey. He survived the war and was discharged on 25 July 1924 on termination of his engagement. Harry married Ellen Bradley in 1918 and they had four sons. Although Harry continued to serve in the army after the war, the family home was in Barnbygate, Newark. Newark Herald, ‘Marriages,' 26 January 1918: ‘Grant-Bradley. On the 17th inst., at Barnbygate Wesleyan Church, Gunner Harry Dawson Grant, second son of Mr and Mrs J Grant to Ellen (Nellie), eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Bradley, both of Newark.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Their brother Robert Barnsdale was killed on 7 March 1941 in an air raid on the Newark Ransome and Marles factory, Newark. He left a widow, Daisy (née Vanns m. 1926), and a young son. Newark Herald, ‘Deaths.’ 15 March 1941: ‘Grant. Robert Barnsdale, the beloved husband of Daisy Grant, 3 Sleaford Road, aged 47 years. ‘Beautiful Memories.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Not my will but Thine O Lord' Newark Herald, 8 July 1916: ‘Lance-Corpl AA Grant.' 'Mr and Mrs Joshua Grant, of 14. Charles-street, received the sad news that their youngest son, Lance-Corpl. Alma Adolphus Grant, had been killed in action. The intelligence was conveyed to them in a letter from deceased’s officer, Capt. JW Turner, who wrote as follows: ‘IT is with the greatest regret that I write to you of the death in action of your son, Lance-Corpl A Grant. He joined my Company out here some months ago now. He had always proved himself an excellent soldier, and I looked upon him as a very valuable NCO. He never knew what fear was, and always did what was asked of him with a smile on is face. We shall all miss him very much indeed. He was killed instantaneously by shell fire three days ago. I can only conclude by again expressing my very deep sympathy with you in your great loss.’ 'Lance-Corpl Grant comes of a military family, for his second brother, Gunner H D Grant, is stationed in India with a Mountain Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery, and has been on the North-West Frontier for the past 12 years. Their grandfather, the late Sergt. Major Henry Dawson, of Bedford, was for many years prior to his death Sergt-Instructor to the Bedford Volunteers, having served in the Crimean War, being present at Inkerman, Sebastopol, and Alma. Two uncles, Capt. Chas. Fox of the Bedfordshire Regiment,and Sapper Harry Dawson of the Royal Engineers, have also seen active service, the former in the Chitral Expedition and the Boer War, and the latter in the Boer War. Another uncle and a cousin are serving in France at the present time. 'Lance-Corpl. AA Grant went out to France with a draft from the 2nd 8th just over 12 months ago. He attended the Mount School as a boy and prior to the war was an apprentice in the fitting shop at Stanley Works (Messrs. A Ransome and Co. Ltd) ...' (as below: Newark Advertiser, 13 September 1916) (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Newark Advertiser, 13 September 1916: 'Youngest son of Joshua & Mary Alma Grant, 14 Charles Street, Newark. Attended the Mount school and prior to the war was an apprentice in the fitting shop at Stanley Works (Messrs. Ransome & Co.). He was in the parish church choir and the Church Lads Brigade. During the skating boom a few years ago, he won the Notts. championship at the Rink. Also an enthusiastic member of the Newark Harriers, being honorary secretary up to the time of joining the forces and taking part in all their ‘runs’. Went out to France with a draft of the 2/8th Sherwood Foresters just over twelve months ago. Killed by shell fire. From a military family, his brother Gunner H.D. Grant, RGA, has served in India for the past 12 years. Grandfather, late Sgt.Major Henry Dawson fought in the Crimean War.' Alma's service record includes extensive correspondence (1920-1922), between the War Office and the OIC Infantry Record Office, Lichfield, and with Joshua Grant snr., Gunner HD Grant and Mary Alma Grant, about the disposal of Alma's war medals. Joshua snr. then of 'Zetland', 25 Lawrence Street, Newark, had written to the War Office (copy of letter undated, but Joshua died in July 1920) asking that his son, Gunner HD Grant, serving in 19th Fourth Fire Command Leith Scotland, be presented with his brother's medals. Alma had not made a Will and therefore his father was deemed his next of kin and legatee and the War Office gave an instruction dated May 1920 to issue the medals to Gunner Grant. Harry was sent Alma's 1914/15 Star in 1921. However, the British War Medal and Victory Medal, which were issued later, were incorrectly sent to Joshua snr., probably in 1922, for which his widow Mary of 14 Charles Street, Newark, signed the receipt. The subsequent correspondence suggested a dispute between Harry and his mother about ownership of these two medals and it is not clear whether Mary ever responded to the numerous official letters requesting the return of the two medals. Newark Herald, ‘Deaths,’ 31 July 1920: ‘Grant. On July 29th, 1920, at ‘Zetland,’ Lawrence-street, Newark (the residence of his eldest son), Joshua Grant in his 65th year after a long and painful illness, patiently borne.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Newark Herald, ‘Deaths,’ 12 October 1940: ‘Grant. On October 8th, at 56, Beacon Hill Road, Mary Alma Grant, aged 83 years.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Newark Herald, ‘In Memoriam.’ 28 June 1941: ‘Grant. To the beloved memory of L/Cpl AA Grant, 8th Sherwood Foresters, killed on the Somme 27th June, 1916. ‘Never Forgotten.’’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)