Note: The numbers in the square brackets refer to the references which are listed on the Private Edward Granger - References page.
Edward Granger was born on 8th March 1882 in Warlaby near Northallerton, Yorkshire[1]. His father was William Granger, and his mother was Jane Granger, née Goldsborough[1].
There is some family difference of opinion as to whether Granger should be spelled “Grainger”. Early marriage records show that where members of this family signed their own name it was as “Granger”[1].
In April 1891 the family were still living in Warlaby and Edward had 5 siblings[2].
In March 1901 Edward was boarding on a farm near Darlington, and working as a draughtsman[3]. This entailed working with horses and cattle[1].
Edward married Lily Brown from Thornley, Durham at St. John The Evangelist Church, Merrington in 1910. They had 2 daughters, Elsie born on 24th February 1911 and Doris born on 26th February 1914[1].
In April 1911 the family were living in Borrowby[4]. Their home may have been a private house next to the chapel[1]. Their local church was St. Mary the Virgin at Leake.
Edward enlisted in Richmond[1]. Since he is named on the Ingleby Arncliffe Roll of Honour he must have been living or at least working in the Parish of Ingleby Arncliffe near Northallerton at the time.
He started his military service in May 1916[10] in the Durham Light Infantry, service number 35171[5]. He joined the Field Force in August 1916[10].
Later he transferred to the Lincolnshire Regiment as Private Granger, service number 29751[6]. The Regiment had fought during the Battle of the Somme, so perhaps Edward was one of the replacements needed to fill the gaps in the ranks (although the Durham Light Infantry also fought during that battle and suffered great losses of men too).
Later still he transferred to the 17th Company, Labour Corps as Private Granger, service number 9638[6]. Soldiers who had been wounded were often transferred to the Labour Battalion of the Regiment if they were unfit to serve as front line infantry[7].
The 12th (Labour) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, was formed in July 1916 at Brocklesby. In August 1916 it moved to France to work on the Lines of Communication. In April 1917 it transferred to the Labour Corps as the 16th Company and 17th Company, Labour Corps. Work carried out included road and railway building/repair, moving ammunition and stores, loading and unloading ships and trains, and burial duties[8][9].
When the Labour Corps was formed in mid 1917 it was decided that the men assigned to it from other regiments, often because of their reduced medical category, should change their regimental badges to that of the General Service Corps. Many of the men disliked having to wear this badge and preferred to retain their regimental identity[9].
Private Edward Granger was severely wounded in the bladder by a gunshot and was taken to No.19 Casualty Clearing Station (CCS), Arras on 14th May 1917[10][11]. The CCS was 3 miles north west of Arras[12] and the front line was to the east of Arras so it is not possible to determine the location where he was shot.
The Battle of Arras officially ended 3 days later on 17th May 1917 when the Second Battle of Bullecourt was halted. The ground that the British had captured had been subject to repeated counter attacks by the Germans. Perhaps Private Granger was hit by a stray bullet whilst working close behind the British front line in support of the battle.
Private Granger was taken by No.6 Ambulance Train to No.18 General Hospital at Camiers, France and admitted to Hut 2 on 28th May 1917[10].
He was evacuated to England on a hospital ship on 29th May 1917[10].
Private Edward Granger died of wounds in Dover Military Hospital on 2nd June 1917, age 35[1][14].
Edward was buried in the churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Leake[1][5][12][14][15], on 6th June 1917[1]. The church is on the east side of the A19 just north of the exit for Borrowby and Knayton. His grave is identified by a Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorial stone. The stone is No.260, on the north side of the church opposite the north door and to the east of the path. His details on the stone are: “29751 Private E. Granger, Lincolnshire Regiment, 2nd June 1917, age 35”[15a][15b].
Here are photographs of his grave taken on 24th October 2018 by Malcolm and Vanessa Atkinson-Leighton who were paying their respects on behalf of the residents of Ingleby Arncliffe and Ingleby Cross; they laid a poppy that had been crocheted by Vanessa. (Churchyard view) (close up)
He is listed on the war memorial outside the entrance to the church as “E. Grainger” (note the inclusion of an “i”). (Close Up) (Full View)
The fact that Edward was buried at Leake and not at Ingleby Arncliffe indicates either that his widow was living in the Leake area at the time; or that there was another strong family connection with the parish (his uncle, Robert Franks Grainger, is listed on the war memorial at St. Mary the Virgin, and Robert’s parents are buried in the churchyard).
He is listed on Ingleby Cross Village War Memorial as “Private Edward Granger, Lincolnshire Regiment”. Ingleby Cross is adjacent to Ingleby Arncliffe and is in the same parish.
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It is likely that he was entitled to the Victory Medal, and very possibly the British War Medal, 1914-18 [17].
After Edward died Lily married Arthur Hooper from East Harlsey and they had two sons. Lily moved to Australia where she died and it is believed that her ashes were interred in Edward’s grave in Leake[1].
Elsie Granger is thought to have married Christopher S Kemp. Elsie died in Claro in 1979 aged 68. They had one son, Kenneth L Kemp who was born on 2nd December 1937 and died in April 1998, aged 60. Kenneth married Margaret P Morton in Claro[1].
Doris Granger was born in Borrowby and died 1978 in Leeds. She was married and had two children[1].