Name
Ernest Mead
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/09/1918
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sapper
526375
Royal Engineers
411th Lowland Field Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MONT NOIR MILITARY CEMETERY, ST. JANS-CAPPEL
Plot I, Row B, Grave 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford St John's Shrine, Uxbridge, Middlesex
Pre War
Son of Alfred and Lizzie (nee BARKER) MEAD of Uxbridge, Middx; husband of Lily Susan (nee CRACKNELL) MEAD.
His parents married 25 December 1883 at St Peter’s, Dunstable, Beds. Alfred died 1947 in the Uxbridge district aged 85; Lizzie died 19 December 1951 in Uxbridge aged 87.
Ernest was born 7 January 1885 in Dunstable, and was baptised 1885 at St Peter’s, Dunstable. He attended first Beechen Grove Infants’ School, Watford; then Beechen Grove Board School from 12 to 18 January 1891, and again from 1 February to 2 September 1892; finally Callowland Board School, Watford, from 6 January 1896 to 6 April 1898. He married 31 July 1909 at St Andrew’s, Watford.
On the 1891 Census, aged 6 he lived in Watford, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1901 Census, a labourer aged 16, he still lived in Watford, with his parents and one sibling. On the 1911
Wartime Service
He attested 11 December 1915 in Watford for Short Service (Duration of the War): a plumber aged 30, 5’5″ tall, Salvation Army, next-of-kin his wife of Watford; he was mobilised 24 May 1916.
He was formerly 7517 1st Hertfordshire Regiment, transferred to 267862 Army Service Corps 21 July 1916, and posted back to the 1st Hertfordshire Reserve 18 August 1916.
He transferred to 291072 14th Suffolk Regiment 11 April 1917, and finally transferred to the Royal Engineers 10 May 1917.
He served with the B.E.F. from 15 July 1918, was entitled to the Victory and British War medals, and died at 9th Field Ambulance of wounds received in action.
Additional Information
There is an article about and a Death announcement for Ernest in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 12 October 1918; plus an In Memoriam in the issue dated 20 September 1919.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
