H Grinter DCM MM

[peregrinvs]

On 26/08/2022 at 11:18, mandy hall said:

I do find it hard to believe he would have got away with misrepresenting his medal entitlement, when he he is living in the county of his regiment and there would be lots of other Royal Sussex veterans around.  If he was living anywhere else in the country, nobody would probably notice.  I also can’t believe he would never have crossed paths with William Lushington Osborn, he was  Lt-Col 2nd Batt. Royal Sussex Regt from 1918-1919 and Hon. Col Royal Sussex Regt, 1926–41.  Obviously they were with the 2nd Batt at different times.  Osborn was involved with the British Legion in Chichester.  I know that this is a different organisation to the Old Contemptibles, but you are still both moving within veterans circles.  Osborn lived in Chichester after the war, just up the road from Rousillion Barracks, in Chichester the home of the Royal Sussex Regiment, so was in the area as well.

Good points and it just adds to how intriguing this mystery is. One of two highly improbable things seem to have happened: The first is that he was officially awarded those medals and all the records confirming it have gone missing. The second is that none of his contemporaries knew they were not official awards given the circles he moved in.

Again, I wonder if some people knew the medals had not been officially awarded, but decided that keeping quiet about it served a higher purpose?

Edited 27 August , 2022 by peregrinvs

[58 Div Mule]

2 hours ago, peregrinvs said:

Again, I wonder if some people knew the medals had not been officially awarded, but decided that keeping quiet about it served a higher purpose?

Yes, I tend to agree. The experts on this forum have been unable to unearth documentary evidence of the award of the DCM and MM?

Harold Grinter was of such a high profile that if someone knew they chose to stay quiet.

58 DM.

[mandy hall]

I went to Littlehampton Cemetery this afternoon, unfortunately the grave looks like it is lying face down, with possibly part of it missing.  The grave was kindly marked by the cemetery office.  

Mandy

 

[Ivor Anderson]

Thanks Mandy. Another piece of the puzzle in place. Those are unusual groves on the back. It is hard to imagine what purpose they served?

His wife Ethel and two sons were living at 182 Princes Avenue, Palmers Green, London in 1947, the year they emigrated to Australia (Electoral Roll, Ancestry):

The eldest - Harold Leonard, born 16 April 1920, died in Australia 1994.

Edited 28 August , 2022 by Ivor Anderson

[Pompey]

On 27/08/2022 at 19:56, peregrinvs said:

Good points and it just adds to how intriguing this mystery is. One of two highly improbable things seem to have happened: The first is that he was officially awarded those medals and all the records confirming it have gone missing. The second is that none of his contemporaries knew they were not official awards given the circles he moved in.

Again, I wonder if some people knew the medals had not been officially awarded, but decided that keeping quiet about it served a higher purpose?

This just about sums up this dilemma as there are no living persons with a direct knowledge and those with any secondary knowledge if still alive must now be in their 80s  as Harold died in 1961.  This leaves us with only the written records or the lack of them. Some of the few options available is to contact:

The Royal Sussex Regiment (RSR) association

The RSR records office held by the West Sussex council

Littlehampton council if the have any remaining records/photos of their employees from the 50's

British Legion / Old Contemptibles Association for any remaining records held from the 50's where Harold was a member

 

I fear we will never find out the truth, but either way in my eyes Harold was a true warrior and carried out many charitable works and as a shining light for RBL etc which far outweighed any misdemeanors he may have committed.