SOLDIERS’ LETTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26065, 31 January 1946, Page 7

SOLDIERS’ LETTERS

MR J. B. GRANT HONOURED At a meeting of the St. Kilda Borough Council some weeks ago complimentary reference was made to the splendid work carried out by Mr J. B. Grant, a former headmaster of the Musselburgh School, in introducing what became to be known as soldiers’ newsletters. No fewer than 43 monthly letters were compiled by Mr Grant, himself out of the 51 sent to soldiers. In the later months Mr Grant owing to the state of his health, had to hand over the work to assistants. , . Yesterday afternoon the Mayor ot St. * Kilda,"Mr N; D. Anderson, who was accompanied by the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr D. C. Cameron) and Crs A H. Finnic and D. J. Simpson, of the St. Kilda Borough Council, and Mr A. A. Moorcfield, acting town clerk of the borough, waited on Mr Grant at his home in Musselburgh rise to express appreciation of his work. Mr Anderson said that his council had adopted a special minute expressing appreciation of Mr Grants work. Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities. he said. Mr Grant had instituted the compiling of a soldier's letter. It had had its origin primarily with the Musselburgh Presbyterian Church, and had at first a circulation of perhaps a couple of dozen copies. So interesting was the issue and so great was the demand that the circulation quickly increased, and the service was extended to the whole of Musselburgh and then to St. Kilda. Requests were then made for an extension of the letter to St Clair, arid before the war terminated the service had reached a circulation of approximately 3000 copies. Mr .Grant had reached a period of life when he should have been enjoying a well-earned rest, but for the sake of their New Zealand soldiers he had devoted his days in the preparation of an illuminating publication setting out all the local news of the district. They realised that Mr Grant's task could not have been so successful had it not been for the whole-hearted assistance given to him by Mrs Grant and his family, and they would like to pay a special tribute to Mrs Grant. Mr Grant made a feeling reply, in which he stated that his work had been a labour of love and that he had been fully repaid by the interest shown in the letters by the soldiers.