Name
Ernest Alfred Hankin
5/10/1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/03/1917
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sapper
209730
Royal Engineers
2nd Light Railway Sect.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN
O. VIII. G. 10.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE PROUDLY ANSWERED HIS DUTY'S CALL HIS LIFE HE GAVE FOR ONE AND ALL
UK & Other Memorials
St Thomas' Mission Hall, Green Tye, St Thomas' Church Memorial, Perry Green, Much Hadham Village Memorial. St Andrew’s Church Memorial, Much Hadham, Stone Bench Plaque, Much Hadham, Congregational Church Memorial, Hadham Cross, Not on the Widford memorials
Pre War
Ernest Alfred Hankin was born on 5th October 1894, in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, son of Alfred Hankin, a Farmer and Martha Ann (nee Martin) Hankin, he was the eldest of three son's. Baptised on 18th November 1894, in Much Hadham, Herts
1901 Census records Ernest aged 6, living with his parents, and brother Lenard (2) at Minges Farm, Much Hadham, Herts. His cousins Thomas Hampton (17), and Beatrice Hampton (14) were living with them on the farm, Thomas was working on the Farm as a Labourer and Beatrice as a Domestic Servant.
1911 Census records Ernest aged 16, employed as a Law Clerk, living with his parents, brothers Leonard (12), and Victor (8) at, Minges Farm, Much Hadham, Herts.
Wartime Service
Ernest enlisted in Much Hadham, posted to the Royal Engineers with the service number 209730.
He was posted to France on 4th February 1917 and was part of the 2nd Light Railway Operating Company, who were involved in upgrading the tramways in order to be used as a light railway. Ernest was hit by shell fire and later died at the 25th Stationary Hospital in Rouen, of cerebra spinal meningitis.
Additional Information
His father, Mr. A. Hankin, Priory Farm, Widford, Nr. Ware, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "HE PROUDLY ANSWERED HIS DUTY'S CALL HIS LIFE HE GAVE FOR ONE AND ALL". His effects of £4-10s-2d, Pay Owing and a £3, War Gratuity went to his father Alfred Hankin. Date of death is 29th or 30th March 1917 depending on the document.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Malcolm Lennox, “Lest We Forget – Much Hadham 1914-18” by Richard Maddams (Much Hadham Forge Museum)
