Name
Ernest Arthur Douglas
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/03/1918
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
226225
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VILLERS-FAUCON COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Sp.Mem.5
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saint's Church, Hertford,
Not on the Rickmansworth memorials
Pre War
Ernest was born in Harefield in 1897 the son of William and Catherine Louise (nee Batchelor) Douglas.
In 1901 they were living Batchworth Heath with Ernest age 4 and three siblings. William was a Farm Labourer. They were still there in 1911 although William was now a Cowman.
Ernest is thought to be a cousin of William Henry Douglas who died of bronchopneumonia in India on the 3rd of October 1918.
Recorded as enlisting in Hertford and was believed to be living in Rickmansworth.
Wartime Service
1st Battalion landed in France on the 6th of November 1914 as part of 4th (Guards)Brigade 2nd Division. They were transferred to other Brigades several times before joining 116th Brigade 39th Division on the 8th of February 1918.
Between 1915 and 1917 the Battalion was involved in numerous actions on the Western Front.
The exact circumstances of Ernest’s death are not known but 39th Division suffered horrendous casualties during the German 1918 Spring Offensive. He probably died on the second day of the Battle of St Quentin when the British troops were retreating in the face of the German attack. This started at 0435 on the 21st of March 1918 with an artillery barrage on British positions south west of St Quentin. At 0440 a heavy bombardment began along a 60 km front, over 3,500,000 shells being fired in 5 hours.
Acknowledgments
Mike Collins, Tanya Britton
