Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article – Friday October 23rd, 1914

DO YOU KNOW

That fifty of the Coalville Territorial recruits have been selected to make up the 5th Battalion Leicestershire about to go abroad?

(Jabez was one of these Famous ‘First Fifty’ as they would be forever remembered – only 22 would return)

Coalville Times article – Friday October 30th, 1914

LOCAL NEWS

Fifty of the Coalville Territorial recruits who have been selected to make up the 5th Battalion for France received their clothes yesterday preparatory to leaving for Luton to-day (Friday).

Coalville Times article – Friday October 30th, 1914

COALVILLE TERRITORIALS LEAVE THIS MORNING
ENTHUSIASTIC SEND-OFF

Fifty of the Territorial Reserves selected to make up the 5th Battalion at Luton left Coalville for that place by the 9 o’clock train this morning (Friday) amid scenes of great enthusiasm. The railway station, bridge, and approaches thereto, were crowded with hundreds of people, and the Coalville lads had a much hearty send-off. The crowd included the Vicar, curate and many of the leading residents of the town and district. The Territorials looked very smart in their new uniforms and before they left they found in their pockets packets of cigarettes and chocolates, a pleasant surprise which a number of Coalville ladies and gentlemen had thoughtfully prepared for them. While waiting for the train they and the crowd sang “It’s a long way to Tipperary” and other popular martial airs, and the train left amid ringing cheers.

Coalville Times article – Friday November 6th, 1914

LOCAL CHIT CHAT

Several of the Coalville friends of the fifty Territorial Reserves who left here for Luton last Friday have received letters which show that the men are in excellent spirits. Upon arrival at Luton they were allotted to various companies and were billeted at houses in the town, being supplied with warm blankets, and the food was stated to be good and plenty of it. It is just possible that they may have left Luton by now, as a letter received from one of them yesterday, stated they were mobilising on Wednesday and were expected to leave for an unknown destination. Since arriving at Luton on Friday they have had gun practice, several long marches and engaged in mimic warfare.

Coalville Times article - Friday July 2nd, 1915

LOCAL CHIT CHAT

On Wednesday, Mr and Mrs T. Hemsley, of the Ellistown Post Office, received a postcard from Mr Jabez Emmerson, at the front, saying that he was quite well. He is a son of Mr A. B. Emmerson, manager of the Ellistown Colliery.

Coalville Times article – Friday January 14th, 1916

DO YOU KNOW THAT

Lance-Corporal J. Emmerson of the 1/5th Leicestershire Territorial Regiment has been awarded the D.C.M.?

Coalville Times article – Friday January 21st, 1916

LIEUT. J. EMMERSON
Lieut. (formerly Lance-Corporal) Joseph Emmerson, who is awarded the D.C.M., took part in various mining operations, and in the Hohenzollern Redoubt charge, on October 13th last, since when there has been no news of him. Lieut. Emmerson is a son of Mr J. Emmerson, manager of the Bagworth Colliery who has also his two other sons engaged in the war. One of them is a prisoner of war in Westphalia, and the other, Lieut. A. Emmerson, who also took part in the famous charge of October 13th, is at present in England.

Coalville Times article – Friday January 28th, 1916

AN ELLISTOWN D.C.M.

“Dear Sir, - I shall be glad if you will correct the report concerning the award of the D.C.M. to my son, Lieut. Joseph Emmerson, of the 1/4th Leicesters.

The award was given to my nephew, Lance-Corporal Jabez Emmerson, 1/5th Leicesters, for gallantry during mining operations near Ypres, on July 30th, 1915.

Lieut. Jos. Emmerson was mentioned in Sir J. French’s final dispatch. This fact, and the same name initial, no doubt gave rise to the misunderstanding.”

Yours faithfully
J. Emmerson.

Coalville Times article – Friday February 4th, 1916

D.C.M. FOR ELLISTOWN SOLDIER

SON OF THE COLLIERY MANAGER

The recent list of awards of the Distinguished Conduct Medal included the name of an Ellistown soldier, Lance-Corporal (now Corporal) Jabez Emmerson, one of the two soldier sons of Mr A. B. Emmerson, manager of the Ellistown Colliery.

Corporal J. Emmerson is in the 5th Leicestershire Territorials, and was one of the noted first fifty to leave Coalville. The incident which gained for him a certificate of merit and subsequently the D.C.M., has already been recorded in our columns, but is worth repeating. It will be remembered that in July last a Measham soldier named Starbuck, Emmerson, and two others were engaged in sapping operations when they came upon a German mine laid ready for exploding. They promptly severed the connecting wire, and then removed the 4,000 lbs of explosives which were ready to be charged, thus, in all probability, saving many lives.

A piece of the wire and other small parts of the apparatus connected with the German mine, have been sent home to Corporal Emmerson, and are now in the possession of his parents. The elder brother of the gallant corporal – Lance-Corporal W. H. Emmerson – was also one of the Coalville 50, having resigned his position as surveyor at the Swanwick Collieries, Derbyshire, in order to join his brother in the services of their King and country. From the time of leaving Coalville in October, 1914, until recently, the two brothers and W. Handford, of Coalville, another of the 50, have kept together, except when the two Emmersons, on account of their special mining knowledge, have been engaged in tunnelling operations. The services rendered by the soldiers in the incident referred to were brought to the notice of the military authorities by 2nd Lieutenant Joseph Emmerson, of Bagworth. They were together in the charge in which the 4th and 5th Leicesters suffered so severely on October 13th last, since which date, Lieutenant J. Emmerson, we very much regret to state, has been missing.
Soon after the charge on October 13th, Lance-Corporal W. H. Emmerson became ill, and was sent into hospital, where he was operated upon for appendicitis. He was invalided home, and was at Cambridge Hospital until last week, when he visited Ellistown on a few days’ leave. He returned to his military duties on Tuesday. Corporal Emmerson, with others of the 5th Leicesters, recently left Marseilles, on a sea voyage to an unknown destination.

Coalville Times article – Friday April 14th, 1916

LOCAL CHIT CHAT

The Hugglescote Council School, of which Mr W. Fellows is the headmaster, has an interesting record in connection with the war. One hundred old scholars are known to have enlisted, and 60 of those are at the Front. Two of them, J. Emmerson and T. R. Briggs, have been awarded the D.C.M. and by a peculiar coincidence both happened to be over on leave at the same time a few days ago and visited their old school (though now in new premises) where they had a splendid reception by the teachers and children. Each of the gallant soldiers addressed a few words to the children, which were listened to with interest. Up-to-date the teachers and children have contributed £52/5/8 to various war funds, have forwarded 77 parcels to the old boys, while, in addition, the girls have supplied underclothing for Belgian children, and knitted socks for soldiers, and vegetables have been sent to Belgian refugees in the district.

Coalville Times article – Friday July 21st, 1916

DO YOU KNOW THAT

Corporal Jabez Emmerson, D.C.M., son of the Ellistown Colliery manager, and who has been recommended for a commission is at home on a visit from the Front?

Coalville Times article – Friday August 25th, 1916

LOCAL CHIT CHAT

It will interest many readers to know that Lance-Sergeant J. Emmerson, of Ellistown, who is now attached to the Officers’ Cadet Battalion, and has been made cadet sergeant, at a camp in Scotland, was presented with the D.C.M. which had been awarded to him some months previously, by Field Marshal Viscount French, at Glasgow, on Monday last, after the unveiling of the memorial to the late Lord Roberts, by the Countess Roberts, Lord Derby, and many other notables were present. Sergeant Emmerson was the second of the number so to be honoured that day and was heartily hand-shaken by the noble Viscount. He was also the only one their representing an English battalion to receive the distinction. Sergeant Emmerson is a son of Mr A. B. Emmerson, manager of the Ellistown Colliery.

Coalville Times article – Friday November 10th, 1916

COMMISSION FOR ELISTOWN SURVEYOR

LIEUTENANT J. EMMERSON’S MILITARY RECORD

Mr Jabez Emmerson, who has been gazetted a second-lieutenant in the Leicestershire Regiment, was at the time war broke out, the colliery surveyor at the Ellistown Collieries. He very early enlisted in the Leicesters at Coalville and was one of the first fifty to leave the town on the 30th October, 1914 for further training. He went to France in February 1915. He was in the now famous battle of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and was fortunate to get through without being wounded.

Prior to this, he was commandeered, being a surveyor, to take charge of some mine sapping work, and it was during the period he was in charge of the party driving a tunnel for a mine that they cut into a German tunnel, and found it charged, with wires connected up, ready for firing. With great presence of mind, the wires were cut, and the ground searched for other possible wires, when they carried out 1400 lbs of explosives. For this he, with other members of the party, was given the D.C.M. He was subsequently recommended for a promotion by the Brigadier-General supported by Colonel Jones, of the Leicesters.

Coming home in July, he was sent to Ayrshire as a cadet, being made order-sergeant very shortly after getting into training. He passed the examination last week as an officer after a few weeks’ hard study, and came fairly near the top.

He commenced his military service as a private, was successively lance-corporal, corporal, and lance-sergeant, and now, as has been stated, holds a commission which dates from October 25th. He was decorated with his D.C.M. by Viscount French in Glasgow, on the occasion of the unveiling of the Lord Roberts Memorial.

Coalville Times article - Friday October 19th, 1917

Information has come to hand that Captain J. Emmerson, son of Mr A. B. Emmerson, manager of the Ellistown Colliery, has been wounded. He is reported to be lying in a hospital in France with severe gunshot wounds in the leg. He enlisted as a private and obtained the D.C.M. when a corporal. He obtained a commission last October and on the field was made a captain some six months ago. He has been in France since February, 1915 except when home for his commission.

Coalville Times article - Friday November 21st, 1919

BATTRAM’S “WELCOME HOME”

EX-SOLDIERS ENTERTAINED

A “welcome home” was celebrated in the Battram Schools last Saturday night to the returned soldiers and sailors, numbering about 70 from Battram and Upper Ellistown. A right royal welcome was given at 4 pm in the form of a hot dinner, which was voted by the ‘boys’ as sumptuous, and to which hearty justice was done. The arrangements for the feast had been admirably carried out by a strong committee of which Mr J. C. Burdett and Mr J. Carlin, and in Mr Jos. Smith the committee had an efficient treasurer. The whole of the catering was undertaken by a sub-committee, of which Mr J. A. Hume was chairman. The committee appeared to have remembered all the pet likings of a “Tommy” from his glass of beer to a Woodbine. The school and tables had a splendid appearance, the decorations of the tables being especially tasteful – the work of a party of very interested ladies. The committee who dined afterwards, had very willing waiters in some of the “boys.” Following a brief interval, the soldiers and their friends were the listeners to a rare musical treat from Mr S. L. Jordan’s renowned concert party, of Leicester, including Mr S. R. Hibbert, tenor, Miss Millie Spencer, soprano, Madam Lettie Nourish, contralto, Mr Jos. Brown, bass, Mr Jordan, humourist, and Mr E. G. Smith, an able accompanist.

The chairman, Mr A. Turner, of London, read a telegram from Mr A. E. Hawley, regretting inability to attend, also a letter from Lord Aberconway, whose duties had taken him to France. Mr Turner, in eloquent terms, thanked the soldiers present for their service to the country, and also to all those who for various reasons were not called to the fields of battle, yet who, had it not been for those men who answered the call, may never have had the opportunity of welcoming the men who were attributes to victory.

The first part of an excellent musical programme was then given. All the items elicited vociferous calls for encores, which were equally appreciated. Madam Nourish retains all her old charms which have so often delighted in the past, local audiences. Miss Spencer possesses a delightful soprano voice, and was a great favourite. Messrs. Hibbert and Brown who are always enjoyed, were most heartily applauded for the concerted items. The humourist, Mr Jordan, was as versatile as ever, and kept the audience in high spirits during his selections.

Mr Harley should have given an address to the soldiers, but in his absence, Mr John Hastings Turner, of London, and son of the chairman, whose name has become so well known as the author of such successful revues as “Bubbly,” “Tails Up,” and “Hullo, America!” very pleasingly deputised. His originality and ready wit easily captivated the hearts of all present, and Mr Turner at the close of his speech was the recipient of a rousing ovation.

At the half-way stage, Mr John C. Burdett delivered a most appropriate and appealing “welcome home” address, remarking upon the anxiousness of waiting for news from those at the war, the feeling of apprehension aroused by delayed posts and how difficult it was for the boys themselves to realise how heartfelt was the desire and longing of the parent or wife to welcome the loved ones home, nor could they understand fully the meaning of the absence to a parent, or the anticipation of a home-coming. Mr Burdett said the briefest yet most eloquent words of welcome were the two constituting the function: “Welcome Home.” The second half of the programme was enjoyed to the full, during which Mr A. B. Emmerson spoke in a very interesting manner of the keenness of all in desiring to make life and conditions better now the soldiers had returned, and that the specific function was (if theories propounded recently at the Church Congress in Leicester may be accepted) also a welcome to those who fell in action, because the theories advanced the possibility of the presence of the spirits of the departed.

At the close of the musical programme, Mr Jabez Emmerson, one of the original Coalville 50, and later a captain of the Leicester Regiment, very ably proposed a vote of thanks on behalf of the soldiers and sailors to the chairman and committee, and all who had interested themselves in providing such a splendid programme.

Mr Leonard Burdett, also one of the Coalville 50, seconded the vote of thanks, and spoke of Mr Turner’s generosity and willingness at all times to assist any cause which had as its object the welfare of the soldiers and sailors, and also took the opportunity of thanking those in the district who had been responsible for the many useful and acceptable presents sent to the soldiers from time to time whilst in the Army.

Mr Turner suitably replied, and a most enjoyable evening concluded with the singing of the National Anthem. The expenses of the “Welcome Home” were defrayed from the balance left from the Peace Celebrations, and subscriptions to the dinner by the committee.

Research undertaken and submitted (including photograph from the Coalville Times) by Andy Murby 14/12/2017