Veteran dies of shock after burglar steals war medals When the paramedics came they could hardly find a pulse. Mr and Mrs Grinyer had been staying with relatives over Christmas and New Year when their home of 36 years in Harold Hill, Romford, Essex, was broken into. His daughter Valerie Ribbons, 49, said: "My dad had done nothing to them apart from fight for their freedom. This is just so undeserved and unfair. Mr Grinyer, a committed charity fund-raiser, was taken to Queen's Hospital, Romford, before being transferred to be treated by specialists at London Chest Hospital, east London on January 6. But the retired London fire chief died in the early hours of the next morning after suffering a cardiac arrest. Choking back tears Mrs Ribbons, of Thurrock, Essex, said: "As time went on he had trouble breathing. He began to panic. He knew he was losing the fight and dying - that's the hardest thing to bear. He left our lives with such a troubled mind - frightened and distressed. I just wonder - will he ever be able to rest peacefully? The wartime army signaller leaves behind four children, 10 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. He married Ann, his childhood sweetheart, just three years after the war in 1948, and the couple would have celebrated 65 years together in August. Mrs Ribbons said: "Our dad did not die peacefully, that's what is so hard to come to terms with. He had a troubled death and was in a heightened state of anxiety and immensely distressed when he found the house had been burgled. I don't think any of us will rest until the burglars are caught. It is thought that they thieves broke in through a back window between December 26 and January 6 stealing passports, bank cards, jewellery, piggy banks containing cash for the couple's grandchildren and £3,500 cash. The family are offering a reward for information which helps to catch those responsible and have set up a Facebook appeal page. Mr Grinyer, a keen keyboard player, had made a 12,000-mile round trip to his old base at Iwakuni in Japan in October under the Lottery-funded Heroes Return 2 scheme. He served in Japan after the country surrendered in August 1945. Mrs Grinyer said: "He was away in the army for two-and-a-half years and wrote to me every day. We got married when he was 21 and I was 19. He had brought silk from Japan for my wedding dress. His son added: "We just want justice for him now" Detective Sergeant Sara Yems, of Havering Police, appealed for witnesses, adding: "Our thoughts go out to them at this difficult time. There was a large amount of jewellery and personal items stolen during the burglary and some of these were of sentimental value.