On The Roll of Honour
Ernest was born c. 1899 in Badwell Ash to William and Ann. William, (Dad) was born in about 1865 to John Faires and Hannah Hawes.
It looks like this was an illegitimate birth as in the 1871 census William aged 5 was living with his mother, Hannah aged 39 (a laundress) who in turn was living with her father John aged 83 and 3 other children who all have the surname Hawes but seem to be siblings of William and are of a similar age.
In the 1901 Census: Ernest, aged 2 was living with William, his father, aged 36, born in Great Ashfield, his mother Ann M aged 37 born in Badwell Ash, and 2 siblings Edith, aged 12 and Hilda, aged 3.
In the 1911 Census: Ernest was living with his father, William, a widower aged 46 in Long Thurlow and employed as a farm labourer. He lived with 2 siblings, Sarah Ann, aged 25 and Hilda, aged 13. William’s granddaughter Lilian Mabel Wakes aged 5 months was living with them.
Military and War: Served in 3rd Battalion Northants Regiment. No. 59572. The 3rd was a Reserve Battalion. In August 1914 they were based in Northampton. A depot/training unit, it moved on mobilisation to Portland and then to Gillingham in May 1915 and then on to Scrapsgate (Sheppey) in May 1918 where it remained as part of the Thames and Medway Garrison.
This Regimental history seems to be at odds with Ernest’s Medical Record where it states he was injured in France in 1918 (see below). Perhaps he was transferred to another unit but we have no record of this or perhaps sections of the 3rd Battalion were transferred to France after the German offensive in March 1918, The Kaiserschlacht, to help with the initial defence and then, subsequently the “big push” towards Germany that ended the war. Unfortunately, we will never know as no records have survived.
In Ernest’s Pension Record it states that on the 29th May 1918 he had a medical examination which states that he had “ Loss and Decay of teeth; Slight Lordosis” (curvature of the spine) and a “Tendency of Flatness of the Feet”. It also mentions that on the 24th October 1918 he suffered from a gunshot wound of the left thigh with a 20% disablement. In the assessment of his health the medical officer stated that Edward: “States gets pains when he walks and is tired after walking much. There has been a furrowed wound transversely across middle third back of left thigh 2” x ½” depressed, healed. Considerable loss of connective tissue. No muscular wasting. No loss of sensation” The date of the Medical Board was the 11th July 1919 and Edward was discharged shortly after this.
Post War: In the 3rd Quarter 1920 Ernest married Edith M Smith (Suffolk 4A_2415).
In the 1939 Register, Ernest, a farm labourer is shown living with Edith, aged 43 in Long Thurlow.
Ernest died in March 1959 aged 60. (Bury St. Edmunds – 4B-1216).
