Name
Ernest Hubert Ball
1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/07/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
G/541
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 12 D and 13 B.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Radlett Town Memorial, Christchurch Memorial, Radlett, Not on the Aldenham memorials
Pre War
Ernest Hubert Ball was born in Radlett/Aldenham, Herts in 1891 to John and Louisa Ball and baptised in Radlett, Herts in 1891. On the 1901 Census the family were living in The Keeper's Cottage in the hamlet of Medburn, Aldenham.
By 1911 his father had died and he was living with his widowed mother and sister Eva at Devon Cottage, Watford Road, Radlett. (Eva later married Walter Weller and lived in Leighton Buzzard). He was working as a gardener on enlistment.
Wartime Service
He enlisted on 17 August 1914 at Mill Hill into the 11th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. He served in France from 31 May 1915 and was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 25 August 1915 which became a paid appointment on 1 February 1916.
He was killed in action on 5 July 1916 during the early days of the Battle of the Somme. His body was not found or not identified and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Additional Information
His sister Eva Weller received a war gratuity of £8 10s and pay owing of £4 7s 11d. Probate of Ernest's estate was granted to her in London on 1 December with effects of £119 12s 6d. She also received his medals.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Paul Johnson
