Name
William Joseph Ebbs
20 Aug 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/03/1916
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/2737
London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
4th (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 6 and 8
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Christchurch Memorial, Little Heath, Northaw Village Memorial, North Mymms on the War Shrine, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, North Mymms, Not on the Hatfield memorials
Pre War
William Joseph Ebbs was born on 20 Aug 1892 in Little Heath (baptised on 9 Apr 1893 North Mimms), the eldest of the two children of Joseph Ebbs, a domestic gardener, and Rosa (nee Nicholls).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, William and Henry George (born 1894) were living at Mymwood Lodge, Sheephouse Hill, North Mimms. now called Shepherds Way. They also had Walter Hewit, a gamekeeper, as a lodger.
On the 1911Census the family of parents, William were living at Woodfield Lodge, Woodhill, Hatfield, William is shown as a gardener. There is also a lodger, William Holden
Wartime Service
William volunteered around Sep 1914, as Private G/2737 in 1/4th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers). No Service record was found. William went to France on 26 Jan 1915.His Battalion were part of 47th (2nd London) Division and were engaged in the Battles of Aubers (9 May), Festubert 15-25 Apr), Loos (25 Sep-1 Oct) and Hohenzollern Redoubt (15=18 Oct) in 1915.
On 27 Mar 1916 William was in one of the assaulting battalion in the Actions of St Eloi Craters. He was initially reported missing and then later presumed killed in action during the first day of the Battle of St Eloi. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres
His Captain wrote to his Mother, a very nice letter saying, “The sympathy of all goes out to her in her great sorrow”.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £6 10s and arrears of £3 17s 2d was paid to his father.
His younger brother Henry was also killed in action later the same year.
The Ebbs had their 2 sons die in the War, after the War his parents later moved to Woodfield Lodge Kentish Lane which is in Hatfield Parish.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Brian Lodge, Mike Allen, Martin Cope
