Name
Ernest Reed
1875
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/09/1917
42
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
267408
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PERTH CEMETERY (CHINA WALL)
II. H. 10.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
FRAGRANT MEMORY
UK & Other Memorials
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Men of Cambridgeshire ans Ely, Ely, Cambs, Not on the Tring memorials
Pre War
Ernest Reed was born in 1875 in Woodville, near Swandlincote, Derbyshire to Walter Reed, coal merchant, and Mary Jane (nee Marlow).
On the 1881 Census the family of parents, Alice E (born 1865), Thomas William (born 1867), Ernest, Harold Harrington (born 1878) and James Macy (born 1880) were living at Woodville Road, Boothorpe, Leics.
On the 1891 Census Ernest was a junior clerk and lodging at 30, Elliott Road, Chiswick also his brother a commercial traveller was also a lodger.
From the 1901 Census it seems that he, a coal merchant clerk, was serving a prison sentence in Wandsworth Prison , London.
Ernest married Minnie Eliza Edwards in 1909 in Watford.
On the 1911 Census Ernest was a house agent and living at 29 Denmark Street Watford with his wife Minnie.
Their daughter Margaret was born on 22 Nov 1912. Her mother died on 30 Mar 1915, and Margaret was adopted by Ernest’s sister Alice and her husband WJ Callen..
Wartime Service
Ernest attested on 2 Dec 1915 and place on Army reserve. He was mobilised on 1 May 1916 and posted to Hertfordshire Regiment as Private 6722.
Following his training Ernest went to France on 24 Nov 1916 via Folkestone, landing at Boulogne for No 17 Infantry Base Depot. From there he joined 1/1st Herts in the field. On 23 Dec 1916 he reported sick and was treated at 134 Field Ambulance and 50 (Northern) Casualty Clearing Station before returning to his £Unit on 1 Jan 1917. He again reported sick to 134 Field Ambulance on 1 Mar 1917 and at 17 CCS on 18 Mar before being treated at 30 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux on 22 Mar. He was evacuated to UK on 29 Mar 1917 and was posted to 5 (Reserve) Battalion , Herts Regiment on 1 Jul 1917. He was sent to France on 22 Aug 1917, through Folkestone and Boulogne, Infantry Base Depot rejoining 1/1st Battalion as Private 267408 (Territorail renumbering) on 9 Sep 1917. The 1/1st were situated Ypres (Passchendaele) and as part of 118 Brigade 39 Division taken in the Battles of Pilkem (31 Jul) and Langemarck (16-18 Aug) before taking now being engaged in the Battle of Menin Road Ridge (20-25 Sep). It was in this last action that Ernest was jilled on 20 Sep 1917.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of 5 10s and arrears of £1 15s 1d was divide equally between brothers George, Walter, William, James and sister Alice.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
