Military History

Ernest is listed as being killed in action on 16 Sep 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. The Company war diary entries for the 15th and 16th Sept are transcribed below.

15 Sept 1916 - Pommiers Redoubt: Company moved up to Pommiers Redoubt & later to Montauban (S.28.c.3.3). About 6pm orders received that 43rd Infantry Brigade would relieve 42nd Brigade in the captured enemy trenches and that one section would proceed with each battalion occupying front line and one section to the supporting Bn. When each section had reached its destination it came under the orders of the O.C. Bn to which it was detailed.

Orders were received that the 43 Inf Bde would attack at 9.25am 16th Sept. The two sections accompanying the 2 Bns (10th DLI and 6th Somerset LI) detailed for the assault were instructed to follow up the infantry, advancing with 2nd wave.

16 Sept 1916 - Montauban: The attack not being wholly successful all sections became split up and each gun was left to its leaders discussion as to what action it should take, from all accounts these men performed their duty very well, not onlyA/L Cpl Craig, Ptes Kgut and McPheely, the later was slightly wounded in the head.

The objective of the 43rd brigade was Grid Support and after the second attempt in the evening had failed owing to enormous superiority of M. Gun fire from the enemy, 5 guns were left in action between Bulls Road and Grid Support with two in supporting positions behind one each side of Watling St and by 9:00 PM five guns had withdrawn into positions in the Bulls Road north of its junction with Watling St and when I arrived at about 8:00 PM I found six guns in position in the front line and one in support.

About 6:15 PM I was detailed by the B.G.C. To take up the remaining section of four guns to Gap Trench and then proceed to the front line, reconnoitre it and dispose of what guns were available, in depth accordingly. I went to Bn HQ in Watling St and having ascertained more or less where the line was preceded to Bulls Rd. I sent back to gap trench for two guns and on their arrival placed in position in frontline 7 guns, four to the left of the crossroads at N.32.c central & three to the right all along Bulls trench. Each of these groups of guns was under an officer namely 2/Lt Stanbury on the left & 2/Lt Andrews on the right. Each group had also a supporting gun placed in position about 200 yards in rare of the centre of its group.

The two guns left in a gap trench were placed at the disposal of the right Company of the 5^th Ox. Bucks LI and 5 KSLI respectively. Join this operation several guns had very good targets and made full use of the opportunities, the company suffered seriously losing three officers, Lt Horner, 2/Lt Borrow & 2/Lt Syers being wounded and 3 O.R. killed, 11 missing & 31 wounded OR's.

17 Sept 1916 - Montauban: At 6am (17^th) relief was completed by 63 M.G. Coy & company marched to camp at FBC.