No.G/52581, Private, Ernest SIZER
Aged 32
|
Ernest Edward SIZER was born on 26th September 1885 at 5 Pound Row, Haverhill, (Risbridge Q4-1885 4A:604 ), baptised at St.Mary's Haverhill
on 31st January 1887, son of Stephen and Emma SIZER (née BACKLER).
1891 census...Aged 5, he was at Pound Row, Crowland Road, Haverhill with his father Stephen SIZER [41] silk weaver; his mother Emma [37] tailoress; brothers Albert [17] (silk weaver), John [14] (coach builder's apprentice), William [12] and Walter [11]; sisters Annie [9], Ethel [7] and Nelly [1]. All were born in Haverhill. 1901 census...Aged 15, an errand boy, he was at Down's Place, Withersfield Road, Haverhill with his parents; sister Annie and Ethel (both trousers machinists), Nellie and Florence [5]; brothers William (mat weaver), Walter (oil carman) and Arthur [8] 1911 census... Aged 26, a baker, he was at 15 Down's Place, Haverhill with his parents; brothers William (mat weaver), Walter (hardware assistant) and Arthur (mat maker); sisters Nellie (baker), Florrie [15] nurse maid) and Gladys SIZER (cousin) [9] born Bumpstead, no record of her parentage. His mother had born 15 children but sadly lost 5 of them. |
|
He enlisted in Aldershot. After leaving Liepzig Camp on 2nd October the battalion war diary for the 4th October 1917 tells us that: 'The starting point was 100 yards north of Eagle Trench… At 6 am (zero hour) on the 4/10/17 our artillery barrage started and the two leading companies B and C moved forward to Eagle Trench followed by D and A Coys at about 8 am. B.H.Q. started to move forward to Eagle Trench and had not gone more than 300 yards before the C.O. was knocked down by a splinter from a shell and the Battalion Intelligence Officer was wounded in the wrist by a shell. B.H.Q. found it impossible to move forward owing to the intense barrage. After the C.O. had recovered from the knockout blow B.H.Q. moved to Eagle Trench where O.C.Seaforths had returned from Kangaroo Trench....OC Seaforths informed CO 3/10 Middx Regt that the whole of his Battalion had been absorbed in the attack. The enemy kept an intense barrage on Eagle Trench 4th and 5th Oct and it was almost impossible to move, a lot of stretcher cases were killed coming down with their bearers..... The 1st Royal Warwicks arrived at about 4 pm on 4/10/17 and filled up the gap in the line with 2nd line of 11th Brigade and later pushed forward and got in touch with the remainder of the 2nd Seaforth and 3/10 Middx Regt' . After being wounded in this action,Ernest would have been taken for treatment at a dressing station. He died on 5th October 1917 and would have been buried close by. In 1919 his father was informed that his body had been moved to a permanent resting place in Dunhallow Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery. |
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details