Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
The War Diary for today records. Battn found fatigues for digging as on the 14th February.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday March 19th, 1915

GOLDEN ROW AT THE FRONT

ANOTHER WHITWICK SOLDIER IN THE TRENCHES

(Passed by Press Bureau)

Golden Row, Talbot Street, Whitwick, is well at the front in regard to the number of its residents in the fighting line. A fortnight ago we published a photo of Pte. Hall, who went from here, and this week we give one of another resident of the row who is doing his bit “somewhere in France”.

This is Pte. Edgar Howe, who in recent letters to his wife, says he is going on well after a long and tiring time in the trenches. He was pleased to say that he had come through all right and was now having a rest. He has as companions two good friends in Ted Collier and G. Purple. He will be glad he says, when the weather clears up, as they are up to their ankles in mud and it is very difficult to get about. He adds: “They could do with the Coalville County Council out here to repair the roads, or show them how to do it. Tell my son Edgar I hope he will take my advice and join the army to serve his King and Country, the same as his father has done. My God bless him and all the other children of mine. Tell Tommy Irons his cigars arrived safely and as me and my pals were smoking them we heard the Germans singing ‘Auld Lang Syne.’ Before we had finished smoking we started a different kind of music (rapid firing) and put their band out of action. Tell Tommy we can beat them with this sort of music. I have a very good rifle with which I am able to shoot well. Roll on, old England, the land I was born in.”

In a subsequent letter, Howe says how sorry he was to hear about Ambrose Hall (another occupant of Golden Row, killed by a Coalville motor ‘bus a short time ago). Writing in lighter vein, he says his numbers not up yet; he is one of the lucky ones; and he has got his old job out there, like he had in the pit – that of shot-firer. He says several of the men have lost their woollen helmets and it is very cold.

Coalville Times article - Friday April 2nd, 1915

WHITWICK SOLDIER IN A GREAT BATTLE

CONTINUED FIGHTING AFTER BEING WOUNDED

Since publishing a photo of Pte. E. Howe, of Golden Row, Whitwick, and copies of letters he had sent to his wife, we have received a further communication direct from Howe in the trenches, in which he states that he is still in the land of the living. Since his last letters appeared in this journal, he says, he has been through a big battle, during which he received a small wound in his right arm, but he kept on fighting and went for the enemy “more savagely than ever.” He concludes, “Roll on England! Come out here boys, and keep at it till it’s finished.”

Coalville Times article - Friday April 23rd, 1915

WHITWICK SOLDIER IN NEUVE CHAPELLE BATTLE

LIKE PLAYING SKITTLES

Pte. E. Howe, of Golden Row, Talbot Street, Whitwick, writing to Mr G. H. Hallam, of the Queen’s Head, Thringstone, says he is quite safe up to date (April 7th) and wishes to thank the good men of Thringstone for gifts sent to him and his pals. As soon as the parcel was opened and they saw the cigarettes they were all eager to get some as they were to get at the Germans at Neuve Chapelle. They all “make a charge” for it when anything comes from England.

Howe continues, “Perhaps you know how it is out here, and I am going on as well as you can expect. I keep on doing my duty and if I should go under – I hope I don’t – I can’t grumble. As the old saying goes, “I’ve had a good run for my money.” The Germans asked us to give them a chance, and we did – a dog’s chance. It was like playing skittles for a time. I can tell you it was easy enough. I have got a lot of things, but they won’t let us send them to England. The wounded can take them and that is how some people have got them in England. If I get a chance I will send you something. I think a lot more will have to come yet. I wish it was all over and I was having a pint of your good old Shardlow. But cheer up! I am not down-hearted, and don’t mean to be. Keep smiling.

BAD FOR THE HUNS

Howe has also sent a postcard to the office of this paper which was received on Tuesday morning. He says they are having better weather in France now, which makes it better for getting about. But if it is bad for them it is also bad for the Huns. Howe holds that they are more than holding their own now and they mean to keep pegging away. He comes from the right place for that and there are several more from Whitwick besides himself. He concludes: Keep smiling.

The card is dated April 16th, and the writer says he is still alive and kicking and in the best of health.

Coalville Times article - Friday May 7th, 1915

‘COALVILLE TIMES’ APPRECIATED IN THE TRENCHES

Pte. Edgar Howe, of Golden Row, Whitwick, in a letter dated April 20th says that his wife sent him a “Coalville Times” and he and his mates were very pleased to read it. They were still playing the game and keeping the Germans from scoring in France. Roll on old England!

Coalville Times article - Friday March 17th, 1916

WHITWICK SOLDIER DIES FROM WOUNDS

Mrs E. Howe, of 37, Talbot Street, Whitwick, has received the sad news that her husband, Private E. Howe, No. 12075, of the 2nd Leicestershire Regiment, died in hospital on February 16th, from wounds received in action at the Persian Gulf, January 6th or 7th.

Private Howe, before the war was a Whitwick collier. As a reservist, he re-joined his regiment on the outbreak of war, and had participated in several battles. A pathetic feature is that since receiving news of his death, Mrs Howe has received a letter written by her husband from hospital a few days before he died, stating that he hoped soon to be better, and to be able to do a bit more for “Good old England.” He also wrote the following lines:

“I am the man that’s always ready
Always game and always steady,
To shoot and fight and hammer in
In action always mean to win.”

The deceased soldier’s letters were always written in a cheerful strain. A memorial service is to be held at St. Andrew’s Church, Thringstone, on Sunday.

Coalville Times article - Friday March 31st, 1916

MEMORIAL SERVICE

On Sunday afternoon last, a memorial service for the late Private Edgar Howe, of 37, Golden Row, Talbot Street, was held in the Thringstone Parish Church, conducted by the vicar, the Rev. C. Shrewsbury. The local Citizen Corps and Boy Scouts and also some of the National Reserve, were present. The Commandant of the Corps, Mr J. Lester, read the lessons, and the Vicar preached from 1 Corinthians, x.v. 58. At the close of the service, Miss Crane played the “Dead March”, the “Last Post” was sounded by two bugles of the Boy Scouts, and the National Anthem sung by the congregation.

Coalville Times article - Friday May 21st, 1920

THRINGSTONE WAR MEMORIAL

UNVEILED BY COL. BOOTH AT THE PARISH CHURCH

A beautiful stained-glass window has been placed in St. Andrew’s Church, Thringstone, in memory of men from the parish who fell in the war, together with a brass tablet bearing all the names, and the unveiling was performed by Col. T. Booth at a special service last Sunday afternoon, when there was a crowded congregation, which included many relatives of the deceased soldiers.

The service was impressively conducted by the Vicar (the Rev. C. Shrewsbury) and opened with the singing of the hymn, “There is a Land of pure Delight.” Other hymns sung were, “O God our help in ages past,” “The Saints of God,” and “For all the Saints,” also the psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”

The window, which faces the church entrance, depicts St. Alban, the first British martyr to die for the Christian faith, and inscribed, “Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto his life’s end.”

The tablet by the side of the window bears the inscription, “To the greater glory of God, and in memory of the following who from this parish and congregation have given their lives for their country in the great war 1914 – 1919, this window is dedicated by the congregation and parishioners of St. Andrew’s.”

Here are 27 names, as follows:

1914
Pte. T. Jones, Durham Light Infantry.
1915
Pte. E. Hall, Leicestershire
Corp’l W. E. Moore, R.G.A.
Pte. I. Hall, Leicestershire
1916
Pte. E. Howe, Leicestershire
Sapper E. Robinson, Royal Engineers
Pte. L. Whitmore, Leicestershire
Pte. T. Squires, Leicestershire
Pte. M. Grainger, Leicestershire
1917
Pte. F. B. Bowler, Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Pte. R. Freeman, Leicestershire
Sapper H. Briers, Royal Engineers
A. J. Turner, telegraphist, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Pte. J. Squires, Leicestershire
Pte. L. Haywood, Scottish Rifles
Corp’l W. Sykes, Leicestershire
Pte. T. Bailey, Royal Scots
1918
Corp’l J. Bancroft, Leicestershire
Rfn. G. W. W. Howe, Rifle Brigade
Pte. J. Gee, York and Lancaster
2nd Lieut. T. F. McCarthy, Loyal North Lancashire
Pte. S. R. Dring, Leicestershire
J. T. Fortnam, Able Seaman, Royal Naval Division
L.-Corp’l A. Griffin, Sherwood Foresters
Pte. J. Morley, Suffolk
Pte. H. Freeman, Leicestershire
Pte. H. Lakin, Leicestershire

At the foot appear the words: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Having unveiled the memorial, Col. Booth proceeded to the other end of the church and from the chancel steps addressed the congregation as follows:

“My friends, I have been entrusted with the very solemn, but to me, the very proud duty, of coming here to address you, the members of this congregation on the subject of the memorial, that beautiful brass tablet which I have just had the honour to unveil, and I can assure you all that I am fully alive to the responsibility which that has involved upon me, and I am also very appreciative of the honour which it has imposed upon me. I am sure that as you heard those names read out, you could not fail to have been impressed, as I was, with the fact that these precious lives came from every class and from all ranks. What you may not have realised altogether is the width and scope of their sacrifice. I will try to explain what I mean. Reading out those names, I first find mention of men who went out at the start, in 1914, to help to stem the first wild onslaught of the Germans before we were ready; when everything was unprepared. Think of that. Then we pass on to other names of men who gave their lives in 1915, in those dull days in the trenches, when everything seemed dark, and when we appeared to be hammering our heads against a stone wall. Then I find more names in 1916, men who died in the great Battle of the Somme, which lasted for many weeks, but in which their services were rewarded by the first ray of hope which seemed to come to the nation. Then more names I find in 1917, men who took part in those hammering blows which we may regard as the period during which the war reached its height, when the storm seemed to be at its worst. Then in those terrible days in the early spring of 1918, I find more names, when the nation strained well-nigh to breaking point in her brave endeavour to stave off the last despairing effort of the Germans to overwhelm us on the soil of France. Lastly, and to me the most pathetic of all, are some few names of men who fell just as the dawn was breaking, a few days before the Armistice. Well, I have given a brief account of how those names covered that scope I spoke of at first. What then do we owe these men? I do not know whether you, or I, or anybody can yet appreciate the magnitude of that debt, but certain it is, we can never repay. What are we to do then – what must we do? Well, I think we must see to it that these men are never forgotten; that their names are never forgotten. This beautiful brass tablet and memorial window are the proof we intend to give that they shall not be forgotten. I think we must do more than this; we must see that we explain to the new generation that is coming on – explain to them what this tablet means; show them the names, and as they get older and more able to understand, explain to them what it stands for, what we really owe to these men; that we owe to them the peaceful possession of our houses, the freedom of the countryside to-day, the honour of our women and the safety of our little children. I think that is the duty for us in the future, and they will carry it on long after we are no more. Then, finally, I want to say a word to the members of this congregation who are relatives of the fallen. I know that nothing I can say is any real comfort; nothing that anybody can say is of any real comfort; but it may afford you some consolation to know that we, your fellow countrymen, are determined that the names of those beloved ones are not forgotten, and that brass tablet and window stand for all time as a witness to the noble and unselfish example of those brave souls, and I hope when you leave this church after this beautiful service, that you will feel as I do, and as all this congregation do I am sure, that their sacrifice has not been in vain.”

After the Benediction, the service closed with the singing of the National Anthem.

Research undertaken and submitted (including photograph from the Coalville Times) by Andy Murby 4/10/2017.