Raymond Edward Grant (31 Mar 1924 - 14 Jan 2016)

Former Police Detective Sergeant and Weymouth Footballer, Ray Grant, passed away aged 91 on 14 January 2016.

Ray was born in 1924 at Bournville, Birmingham and he followed his father, aged 14, into the Cadbury’s Chocolate Factory (the famous “factory in a garden”) where he was allowed to eat as much chocolate as he liked. The theory was that, if workers were allowed an abundance they would, eventually, tire of chocolate – but he never did!

At just 18, he joined the Royal Navy and served with distinction in the Sicily and Italian landings where there was fierce fighting. He was the coxswain on a Landing Craft (LCI) transporting infantry, under heavy fire, between troopships and the beaches. His captain at this time was Sir Alec Guinness, later to become a very famous actor. At one point, a nearby landing craft got into difficulties and a volunteer was sought to swim across with a rope so that the ailing ship could be towed clear of danger. Ray volunteered and was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal for his bravery.

Returning after the war, he found that his Mum and Dad were on holiday in Weymouth and so headed south to join them. They were staying in a guest house where he met and, eventually married the love, of his life, Marian. They were together for 60 years, until Marian’s death seven years ago, and had children, Linda and David – and then grandchildren, Ian, Sarah, Wesley and Loretta. More recently, three Great Grandchildren have followed.

For a while Ray continued to work at Cadbury’s and travelled back and forth between Birmingham and the South Coast on his brand new AJS 350 motorcycle. But he had always been a talented footballer and so he was soon offered a contract as a professional footballer with Weymouth FC. He much enjoyed his status as a celebrity footballer in Weymouth and his reputation was enhanced when he scored in the Terra’s Dorset Senior Cup Final success in the 1947/48 season.

As football offered no job security, he joined Dorset Police where he served at various locations in the county, as a Village Policeman at Stratton and in Weymouth, Wimborne, Swanage and Ferndown; completing his service as a Detective Sergeant at Poole. He also represented England Police at football on a number of occasions.

On leaving the force, Ray enjoyed a short additional career, with Barclays International, where he won trophies for squash (usually against much younger men) and continued to play golf through his late 80’s.

Despite his successes as a sportsman, sailor and police officer, above all, Ray was a family man and loved his wife and children as much as they loved him.