South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Bombardier 51131 Ernest Cara SHELDON - 15th Battery, 36th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

Killed in action on Sunday 1st August 1915 aged 24


Military History

     
Theatre of War in Which Died Campaign Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France & Flanders 1914 Star, British War & Victory Medals Le Touret Memorial
     
First Arrived in Theatre Bravery & Conduct Medals SWFHS Area Memorials
16 Aug 1914 in France ~ Leamington Spa War Memorial
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason Died Date and Place Enlisted Other War Memorials
Local actions in Limoges Region 1908 in Warwick  
     
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units  
Gorre, Limoges, France 113th Battery Royal Field Artillery  
     

Circumstances of Death

Ernest is listed as being killed in action on 1st August 1915. The 36th Brigade war diary for the period 31st July to August 2nd are transcribed below.

Gorre – 31 Jul 1915: 71st Battery fired a few rounds on Violaines Batteries in retaliation for the shelling of their Battery about 6.30am.

15th and 9th Battery’s fired in retaliation at 10, 11, 12, 4 and 6pm.

47th Battery fired on the night of 30/31st at request of Infantry on enemy who were very aggressive near A.9.a.9.2,

Gorre – 1 Aug 1915: 15th Battery were shelled heavily between 6.30 and 7.30am. Their billets were destroyed and one man was killed [Ernest] and three wounded. 71st Battery and 15th Detached section fired in retaliation during the afternoon and evening.

Gorre – 2 Aug 1915: 15th detached section fired a few rounds at 7pm on working party at foot of Orchard Crater.

47th Battery fired a few rounds at Minnenwerfer at 1am which was active about A.9.b.5.5.

At 8.30pm Irish Guards sprung three mines and occupied the rear side of the craters which they joined with a trench. They also occupied the rear side of a German crater. These operations were very quickly carried out without opposition.


 
 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
20 Nov 1890 in Leamington Spa 29 Dec 1890 at Leamington All Saints
   
Parents Names Abode
William and Emma Sheldon 76 Clarendon Street, Leamington Spa
   
Adoptive Mother Abode
Mary A. Claridge Andrews Court, 2 Windsor Street, Leamington                          
   
Schools Colleges
  ~
   
Address History Employment History
1890 - 1 Greens Cottages, Windsor Street, Leamington 1901 - School age
1891 - Andrews Court, 2 Windsor Street, Leamington 1911 - Cook in 131st Battery, RFA
1901 - Andrews Court, 2 Windsor Street, Leamington 1914 - Gunner in Royal Field Artillery
1911 - Evashot Barracks, Farnham, Hants  1915 - Bombardier in Royal Field Artillery
1914 - Evashot Barracks, Farnham, Hants  
   
  • With a few months of being born Ernest was living with Mary A Claridge and is listed on both the 1891 and 1901 census returns as
    living with Mary as a boarder/visitor
  • Errnest's father was William Harrod Sheldon and his mother Emma Eliza Spinler and they were married 29 Mar 1891 about 5 months
    after his birth. William died in 1940 in Leamington and Emma died in Leamington in 1954 aged 90.
  • On Ernest's birth certificate his parents are listed as William and Emma Sheldon
  • In the 1911 census William and Emma list a son Edgar Sheldon aged 16, Edgar died in 1965 in Leamington
  • In 1904 Ernest was fined 4s 6d for playing football in the street (Windor Street)
  • We have found three spellings of Ernest's middle name - Care on birth record, Cara on Baptism and Cora in census