South Yorkshire Times, January 16th, 1960
Mexboro’ Guard was Home Guard Too
“Taking life easy” this week, is Mr. Charles Edward Chance (65), 51, Highwoods Road, Mexborough, who retired on January 2nd, after serving 45 years with the British Railways.
As a token of his employers’ appreciation of his serv Mr. Chance was called into the Eastern Region Traffic Manager’s office at Sheffield on January 2nd and was presented with an inscribed gold watch.
Born at Willenhall, South Staffordshire, Mr. Chance came to South Yorkshire in 1913, and started work as a carriage cleaner at Mexborough in I914. In 1915 he volunteered for the Army and was called up in 1917 to the York and Lancaster Regiment. He was wounded and honourably discharged in 1918.
He returned to Mexborough and was appointed goods guard in 1919, a position which he held for the remainder of his service, except for the last 18 months when he was a passenger guard. During the last war, Mr. Chance was in the Home Guard and was promoted to Lieutenant. He holds ‘King’s Certificates’ for his service in both the 1914-18 and 1939-45 wars. To the “South Yorkshire Times” reporter Mr. Chance said, “I’m even fitter than I was when I was discharged in 1918, but I intend to take things easy for a few days before finding myself some work to do.”