Throughout the 1930s the risks of another war in Europe were being examined and planned for with the Home Office establishing an Air Raid Precautions (ARP) service in 1935. This became the Civil Defence Service in 1941 and incorporated the ARP Wardens Service, the Auxiliary Fire Service (which later became the National Fire Service), along with First Aid Posts organised by the St John’s Ambulance and Red Cross. Although few records still exist that give details there were detachments of all of these in the village.
Author: John Doyle
The Village Home Guard in World War 2
The need for a volunteer home defence force was not at first realised when war was declared in 1939 but when the “Phoney War” ended with the German assault on France and the Low Countries in 1940 action was taken. The initial call for “Local Defence Volunteers” quickly changed to a very much more belligerent, Home Guard. Manned and led at first by veterans of World War 1 together with many of those to young to fight in 1914 the Home Guard looked to defence the country whilst the regular army recovered, re-armed and re-trained after Dunkirk. Tasked to be ready for invasion and defend key industries in the village the Mountsorrel Platoon of the Home Guard played a small but vital role in World War 2.
Village Casualties of World War 2
As with World War 1 the outbreak of war in 1939 saw the call up of Reservists and men and women of the village volunteer for and later be conscripted into the armed forces. The village losses were thankfully less than in the Great War but equally as painful for their families and friends. All are remembered on the village war memorials. Whilst access to World War 2 personnel records is not yet as widely available as it is for World War 1 Casualties we have put together these short Casualty pen-pictures in honour of their sacrifice and to mark the 75th Anniversary of VE Day.
Mountsorrel Celebrates the Centenary of Trafalgar
21st October 1805 saw the defeat of the Franco-Spanish fleet by a Royal Navy Fleet commanded by Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson. The victory effectively finished the French Emperor Napoleon’s ability to fight at sea and as importantly, resupply his land forces by sea. Sadly at the moment of victory Nelson, standing on the deck of his flagship, HMS Victory, was shot and killed by a French sharpshooter from high in the rigging of the French Battleship Redoutable. The victory and the loss of Nelson, who was already regarded as a national hero, established the battle as key moment in British History.

By Daniel MacLise, Walker Art Gallery Liverpool (Public Domain)

The victory also ushered in a period that led right up to the start of the Great War in 1914 when the Royal Navy really did “Rule the Waves” and the British Empire was perhaps at its zenith. It is therefore understandable that the country celebrated the centenary in 1905 with great gusto.
As the centenary approached committees were set up across the country to organise events and celebrations. In London Nelson’s Column was decorated and acted as a focal point for events but across the nation and the Empire the event was marked.
Musically, there were many concerts with the singing of patriotic songs but most notably the first performance of Sir Henry Wood’s Fantasia on British Sea Songs conducted by the composer. The piece is of course now a standard part of the annual Last Night of the Promenade Concerts at the Albert Hall.
There were many naval displays and on the night of 21st HMS Victoryin Portsmouth was illuminated by electric lighting the current being supplied by a torpedo boat moored alongside.
Even here in Mountsorrel, in the heart of landlocked Leicestershire, the event was marked by celebrations across the village. Celebrations actually began on the Thursday with pupils at both St Peter’s and Christ Church Schools being presented with keepsakes purchased by the Mountsorrel Granite Company and given out at the two schools by Robert Edmund and William Francis Martin. The boys were given a Trafalgar Medal and the girls a Trafalgar broach. These contained some of the copper from the hull sheathing of HMS Victory but as they were widely available across the country the amount of original copper must have been very small!


The 21st October, was a Saturday and with many houses decorated with patriotic emblems the celebrations commenced with the pupils of both schools, many carrying flags, assembling on the Green. There the Headmaster of Christ Church School, Mr Mosedale, conducted the pupils in singing “The Death of Nelson” with music provided by the St Peter’s String Band. A parade then formed up and led by the Mountsorrel Brass Band, moved off down to the Market Place. Here there was more singing by the pupils, this time conducted by Mr Wagstaffe, Headmaster of St Peters.

After that everyone progressed down to the Drill Hall where tea had been arranged, paid for by the Granite Co, but made and served by a “Ladies Committee”. Some 570 attended and took tea with some 60 ladies and other helpers doing the work.

After refreshments the pupils and orchestra entertained those present with nautical music and again singing “The Death of Nelson” along with, “Ye Mariners of England” and Rudyard Kipling’s, “Lest We Forget”. An address was given by Mr RE Martin on Nelson and the battle.
The celebrations closed about 7:00pm with a vote of thanks to the Granite Co., The Ladies Committee and the Headteachers followed by the singing of the National Anthem.
To close the day the bells of St Peter’s were rung in a celebratory peal.
1914 – Mountsorrel Quarrymen go to war
As the biggest employer in the village the Mountsorrel Granite Company lost many men on mobilisation. Most of the Quarrymen served at first with the infantry but as the need for specialist trades grew during the war many were transferred to the Royal Engineers and served with the RE Quarry units is France.
1914 The Reaction to Mobilisation in the Village
The declaration of war and the mobilisation of many men from the village caused an understandable upheaval and uncertainty for many. The establishment of various committees helped to bring a sense of order and help those families affected.
1914 – Mountsorrel Territorials and Yeomen go to war
Prior to the outbreak of war Mountsorrel men had been serving as volunteers with both the Leicestershire Regiment as Territorial soldiers and with the Leicestershire Yeomanry. With war declared they moved to their war stations.
August 1914 – The First Men Mobilised
On the declaration of War men who were Regular Reservists or were serving with the Territorials or Yeomanry were mobilised. A little while later a list of those gone from the village was produced, probably by the village’s Emergency Committee.
Big Garden Birdwatch 2019
This coming weekend (26th – 28th January 2019) is time for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch and as with previous years we plan to do a mini version for Mountsorrel. If you’d like to take part email your results for Mountsorrel bird sighting’s to us using our contact page and we will put together a Top 10 for Mountsorrel – do send your results to the RSPB as well though! All you need to do is find a suitable spot to watch the birds in your garden for an hour over the weekend (from indoors with a cup of tea at hand is good). Get yourself comfortable and record the birds, remember though that we need the highest number of each sort at any one time not the total seen during the hour.
P Company, 1st Volunteer Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment
In 1900 a new army reserve unit was formed in Mountsorrel, P Company of 1st Volunteer Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. The unit was made up of volunteers from Mountsorrel and the other Soar Valley villages. Read on 2016 03 18 P Company 1st Volunteer Battalion Leicestershire Regiment 1900 1908