Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday November 13th, 1914

WHITWICK QUARRYMEN AT THE FRONT

THRILLING EXPERIENCES IN THE TRENCHES

Splendid patriotism has been shown by the employees of the Whitwick Granite Company. Out of 200 workmen, 19 up to now have joined the colours, and one of them, Pte. Charles Millward, of the 1st Leicesters, after a warm time in the trenches, has unfortunately been wounded. In letters written to the quarry manager, Mr J. H. Robinson, Millward states:

“I am pleased to say my cut is going on well, it was a nasty wound: the doctor said if it had been a little deeper I should not have been here. It cut me down the middle of the head and knocked me unconscious. I lost a lot of blood. I shall never forget that Sunday, the 25th October. It was a terrible sight and a hard day’s fighting, the busiest I had been in. The Germans started about 5 o’clock in the morning and came up in thousands; they had been trying to break our line for 3 days but we held them at bay, though we lost heavily, about all our officers were killed and wounded, our trenches were full. The dead lay all over the place in hundreds.

The enemy kept blowing our trenches up with the big guns, and when the shells hit the ground you could bury a horse and cart in the hole made. They were shelling us for 3 days. I thought every minute my last had come. Every time the big shells came we had to get under the ground we had dug out for the purpose. I am pleased to get out of it for a while. I shall be glad when the war is over. We had a pretty good time at the battle of the Aisne: we were busier in the last battle. We had some very hard times in the trenches. I am sorry that parcel will not reach me as we long for a smoke and anything in that line, someone will make a fuss of them.

The French people are a good natured lot; they would give us anything. We were well supplied with tobacco and cigarettes that was something to be thankful for. We fared pretty well for food seeing we were at war. We left Cambridge Hospital on Wednesday afternoon for Bedford. When we arrived at the station there were motor cars waiting for us, taking us to our new destination. We enjoyed the 10 miles ride very much. We have gone to be guests of Lord Lucas. It is a lovely place and a very large estate. We are living on the best of everything. If you want anything you only have to ask for it, they are all very kind to you. I think it is very kind of him to have us here, we get plenty to eat and drink and smoke and we can go for nice long walks in the Park. There is fishing, boating and every game you can think of to amuse yourself. I never thought I should come to a place like this in my time: it is better than being in the trenches. We are going for a motor ride on Saturday to Luton to see a football match. We are to have plenty of rides in Lord Lucas’s motors. I could not say how long we are staying here, if we stay long we shall get quite strong again. Remember me to foreman and mates.

Coalville Times article - Friday November 20th, 1914

SHEPSHED MEN WOUNDED

Private Charles Millward, of the 1st Leicestershire Regiment, who went with the reserves from Shepshed on August 5th, was amongst the wounded in October, and has been in hospital at Bedford. He returned to his home in Shepshed on Monday.

Research undertaken submitted by Andy Murby 2017