Name
Ernest Curtis
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/09/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7520
Northumberland Fusiliers
1st/6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 10 B 11 B and 12 B.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial,
United Reformed Church Memorial, Bishop's Stortford,
Not on the Cheshunt memorials,
Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Ernest Curtis was born in 1897 in Cheshunt, Herts to William and Ellen Curtis.
On the 1911 Census he was living with his family at 77 Rye Street, Bishop's Stortford and working as a Groom’s Helper. Before joining the army he was employed by Mr. S. Barker of South Street, Bishop's Stortford, and was well known in the town “being a regular member of Mrs. Holland’s young men’s Bible Class.
Wartime Service
Formerly 5178 in the Hertfordshire Regiment.
Ernest joined the Hertfordshire Regiment on June 15th 1915 He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal a few weeks before being sent to France and was then transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers before being killed in action during the Battle of the Somme, the phase known as the Battle of Flers-Courcelette.
His body was never recovered.
Additional Information
His mother Ellen received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £2 19s 7d.
His parents had 2 other sons (twins) serving in the Royal Field Artillery in France. A third son served for 14 months but was discharged, and a fifth son passed for general service. All sons joined voluntarily.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jenny Clough, Jonty Wild
