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some point before WW1 he served for a short term with the 3rd
Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, a militia battalion.
In 1911 Ernest and Temperance were living alone at West Street,
Kings Cliffe, and Ernest was working as an agricultural labourer.
Their first child, Phyllis, was born in November 1911, and a son,
Ernest, followed in 1915.
Almost as soon as war is declared Ernest enlisted in the
Northamptonshire Regiment on the 13th September 1914. He
was just over 34 years old, 5ft 4in tall (1.6m) and weighs 145lb
(66kg).
Due to his previous service in the militia, he was posted from the
3rd Battalion to the 1st Battalion, a Regular Army battalion, and
on 12th November 1914, he headed off to France. His Battalion
had landed at Le Havre two months previously.
By the time he joined the Battalion they had already been involved
in several battles and the 1st battle of Ypres was drawing to a
close.
Throughout the winter of 1914/15 there were several smaller
operations as well as night patrols in no-man’s-land. In one
of these, on Christmas Day 1914, Ernest was captured by the
Germans at La Bassee.
It was some time before the army knew what had happened to
Ernest and it wasn’t until 3rd May 1915 that they informed his wife
that he was missing.
There was a further delay until 3rd August 1915 when news was
received that he was a prisoner of war being held at Whittenburg.
His wife was allowed a separation allowance of 14/6d a week
(£0.72).
He spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner and was
eventually released to the British on 26th December 1918 –
almost four years to the day after his capture.
By this time Elizabeth and the children had moved to 1, Welland
Street, Gas Street, Stamford.
Ernest returned to his family in Stamford in March 1919 and over
the next three years his three medals were delivered and signed for.
Ernest died in Stamford aged 49 in 1929.
217
Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, a militia battalion.
In 1911 Ernest and Temperance were living alone at West Street,
Kings Cliffe, and Ernest was working as an agricultural labourer.
Their first child, Phyllis, was born in November 1911, and a son,
Ernest, followed in 1915.
Almost as soon as war is declared Ernest enlisted in the
Northamptonshire Regiment on the 13th September 1914. He
was just over 34 years old, 5ft 4in tall (1.6m) and weighs 145lb
(66kg).
Due to his previous service in the militia, he was posted from the
3rd Battalion to the 1st Battalion, a Regular Army battalion, and
on 12th November 1914, he headed off to France. His Battalion
had landed at Le Havre two months previously.
By the time he joined the Battalion they had already been involved
in several battles and the 1st battle of Ypres was drawing to a
close.
Throughout the winter of 1914/15 there were several smaller
operations as well as night patrols in no-man’s-land. In one
of these, on Christmas Day 1914, Ernest was captured by the
Germans at La Bassee.
It was some time before the army knew what had happened to
Ernest and it wasn’t until 3rd May 1915 that they informed his wife
that he was missing.
There was a further delay until 3rd August 1915 when news was
received that he was a prisoner of war being held at Whittenburg.
His wife was allowed a separation allowance of 14/6d a week
(£0.72).
He spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner and was
eventually released to the British on 26th December 1918 –
almost four years to the day after his capture.
By this time Elizabeth and the children had moved to 1, Welland
Street, Gas Street, Stamford.
Ernest returned to his family in Stamford in March 1919 and over
the next three years his three medals were delivered and signed for.
Ernest died in Stamford aged 49 in 1929.
217
