Name
King Ernest Sole
1876
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/10/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
29730
Hampshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier & Face 7C & 7B
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Ashwell memorials
Pre War
King Ernest Sole (known as Ernest) was born in Ashwell in 1876, the son of George and Mary Ann Sole (nee Shambrook). He was one of eleven children and was baptised at Ashwell on 9 April 1876.
On the 1881 Census the family were living in Hare Park, Ashwell, Herts, where his father was working as an agricultural labourer. His father died in 1890, aged 58, but his widowed mother remained in Hare Park, Ashwell in 1891 at which time Ernest and his older brother Frank were both working as agricultural labourers. By 1901 they had moved to Branksome, Dorset and were living at Leyton Road and Ernest (then listed as King) was working as a navvy and his brother Frank as a coal carter.
[Unable to find Ernest on the 1911 Census]
Wartime Service
He initially enlisted with the Dorsetshire Regiment in Porchester, Dorset, under reg. no. 17032, later being transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment.
On 27 October 1917 an article in the Hertfordshire Express reported that Ernest was listed as killed in action, having been reported missing "for a long time". The article mentioned that "it appears he was mortally wounded in October of last year."
He was believed to have been killed in action on or since 13 October 1916, during the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His sister Matilda Clark received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £4 3s 7d.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, www.ashwellmuseum.org.uk
