Name
Ernest Charles Webb
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/02/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn., attached 4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ROCQUIGNY-EQUANCOURT ROAD BRITISH CEMETERY, MANANCOURT
Plot X, Row B, Grave 31.
France
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
St Andrew's Church Memorial, Watford
Pre War
Son of Charles and the late Caroline (nee STEVENS) WEBB.
His parents married 25 December 1886 at Holy Trinity, Newington, London. Caroline died 1895 in the St Saviour, London, district aged 34, and was buried 5 March in Nunhead Cemetery, London; Charles died 20 July 1920 in Ipswich, Suffolk, aged 72.
Ernest was born 26 May 1893 in Newington or Camberwell, London, and baptised 16 January 1901 at All Souls, Newington. He was employed by the London and North Western Railway Company as a page.
On the 1901 Census, aged 8 he lived in Newington, with his widowed father and no siblings. On the 1911 Census, a railway dining saloon attendant aged 18, he lived in Watford, with his widowed father and no siblings.
Wartime Service
He attested 4 September 1914 at Hertford in the Territorial Force 1 year’s embodied service at Home: a dining saloon attendant L.N.W.R. aged 22, 5’6″ tall, C of E, of Watford; Private 2698 (or 265615) ‘D’ Company 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment.
He served at Home 4 September to 4 November 1914, and with the B.E.F. 5 November to 1 December 1914, during which time he was admitted to No. 11 General Hospital Boulogne 23 November 1914 with frost-bitten feet, transferred to England aboard Hospital Ship St David on 1 December 1914, and admitted to the Royal Orthopedic Hospital 2 December 1914 to 27 January 1915.
He served at Home 2 December 1914 to 12 March 1916, when he embarked from Southampton 13 March 1916 disembarking Rouen the next day.
Served with the B.E.F. again from 13 March 1916 to 6 January 1917, during which time he was appointed Lance-Corporal 18 May 1916, and appointed Corporal 26 October 1916.
At Home again from 7 January to 29 May 1917 when he was discharged to a commission with the 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment 30 May 1917.
He was attached to the 4th Battalion following the disbanding of the 8th; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 6 November 1914, and was killed in action.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
