Name
Ernest James Goodson
27 Jul 1871
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/10/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sapper
WR/552514
Royal Engineers
Inland Water Transport
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BANGALORE (HOSUR ROAD) CEMETERY
Plot 8. Row T. Grave 10.
India
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Not on Wilstone Village Memorial, Not on the Tring memorials
Pre War
Ernest James Goodson was born in Tring on 27 Jul 1871 (baptised in Tring on 20 Mar 1886) to James Goodson, blacksmith, and Fanny (nee Cato).
On the 1881 Census the family of parents, Minnie (born 1864), Frank (born 1870), Ernest, Arthur (born 1874), Frederick (born 1876), together with Emily Cato (sister of Fanny) were living at 17, Langdon Street, Tring.
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Frank (teacher), Ernest (blacksmith), Arthur (clerk at colliery), Frederick, May (born 1884) and Emily Cato were living at 15, Park Road, Tring.
Ernest married Margaret Jane Free on 21 Sep 1898 in Aston Clinton, Bucks., and on the 1901 Census they were living at 4, Henry Street, Tring.
On the 1901 Census the family of Ernest’s parents, Frederick, May, Emily Cato and Mabel Barnes, a visitor, were residing at 19, Park Road, Tring.
On the 1911 Census Ernest, Margaret with Stanley Frank (born 1903), Daisy Ida (born 1907) and Arthur (born 1909) were living at 54, High Street, Tring.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Ernest. Ernest was 43 years old when the Great War commenced.
He may joined the Royal Engineers Water Transport in answer to recruiting campaign for skilled men such as blacksmiths, carpenters, etc,. over normal age and sometimes in downgraded medical grades, about Sep 1916. He had a serial number 196889 but the whole Water Transport Section was pre-fixed and renumbered in 1918, Ernest becoming Sapper WR/552514.
It is not known when he was posted to India where he died on 1 Oct 1918 at Banglore (now Bengaluru).
Additional Information
War Gratuity and arrears of 38 0s 5d was paid to his widow Margaret and £10 1s 4d to his son Stanley Frank.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
