Name
Ernest Arthur Wellman
5 January 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/11/1917
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
554075
London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles)
2nd/16th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BEERSHEBA WAR CEMETERY
O. 61.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Marlowes Baptist Church, Marlowes, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley, Not on the Apsley End memorial
Pre War
Ernest Arthur Wellman was born in the Old Kent Road, St Saviour, Southwark, Surrey on 5 January 1887 the son and only child of Arthur and Elizabeth Wellman. His father was a Brass Finisher.
He attended Moreland Street School, Islington from 1 September 1891 at which time they were living at 69 Palmerston Buildings. His father was a Brass Finisher.
They had moved to 110 Packington Street, Islington, London by 1901 when his father was working as a Mechanic - Brass Finisher, and Ernest, aged 14, was working as a Stationer's Clerk. He had moved to work at John Dickinson & Co to work as a Clerk at Apsley Mills, near Hemel Hempstead by 1911.
He married Clara Stanley in 1910 in Islington and on the 1911 Census they were living at "Highfield" , Bennetts End Lane, Hemel Hempstead and he was working as a Clerk in the Card and Board Mills. Their son Stanley Herbert was born on 14 April 1913.
On enlistment he gave his employment as a paper expert at Apsley Mills, Hemel Hempstead, Herts and gave his residence as Apsley End.
Wartime Service
He volunteered for the Volunteer Training Corps (VTC) in January 1915 and was assigned to No. 3 (Apsley) Platoon. As he was initially exempt from active service because of his 'starred' occupation, he worked at Dickinsons and also took part in home defence duties with the VTC.
Following the passing of the Military Service Act in 1916, his previous exemption from service was revoked and he enlisted in Hemel Hempstead after November 1916 and joined the London Regiment, being sent for basic training at Warminster, Wilts.
He was sent overseas in 1917 and posted as a Rifleman in the 2nd/16th Battalion, London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles). He was initially sent to the Balkans, arriving in Greece on 23 April, joining his battalion in Macedonia a few days later. He took part in the Battle of Doiran and the following attacks when British forces were defeated, which resulted in heavy casualties with 12,000 killed, wounded or captured.
The battalion then moved to Egypt, arriving on 25 June, and Ernest saw action again in the Battle of Beersheba, followed by the third Battle of Gaza on 1st and 2nd November. He was wounded and taken 160 miles to the 65th Casualty Clearing Station at Moablaka, near Damascus, Syria.
He died of his wounds on 7 November 1917, aged 30, soon after arriving at the 65th Casualty Clearing Station in Syria and is buried in Beersheba War Cemetery, Israel.
Additional Information
His widow Clara received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £4 3s 3s. She was also initially awarded a pension of £1 0s 5d a week from 13 May 1918 but there is a note on the pension records which states she was later awarded an alternative pension under Article 13 of the Royal Warrant of 17 April 1918, amounting to £1 12s 10d a week with effect from 13 May 1918, in lieu of the current widows pension of 13 shillings 9 pence with Allowance for one child of 6 shillings 8 pence a week. Dated 18 June 1918.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
