Name
Ernest Daniel Poulter
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/03/1918
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16616
Bedfordshire Regiment
“C” Company, 7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panel 29
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Stevenage Old Town Memorial, St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town, Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town, Welwyn Village Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Roll of Honour, Welwyn Not on the Baldock memorials
Pre War
Ernest Daniel Poulter was born in Baldock in 1892, the son of Daniel and Jane Poulter, and was baptised on 23 June at Baldock. He was one of nine children with seven sisters and one brother.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at the Red Lion in Norton Street, Baldock where his father was the Publican, but his father Daniel died in 1905, and his mother Jane then ran the Red Lion, until she died in1908, aged 54.
In 1911 Ernest was boarding at the home of Mary Prior in Mill Lane Welwyn, and working as a butcher journeyman.
In early 1918 he married Lilian Smith in Royston.
Wartime Service
Ernest enlisted in Hertford (some sources say Ware) and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, initially serving with the 8th Battalion, and was sent to France on 30th August 1915, He was later transferred to the 7th Battalion.
Ernest was reported as missing in action whilst the Battalion was involved in fighting at Crozat Canal on the 22nd March 1918. At 7am the Battalion were in position, but all attempts to blow up the bridge across the canal failed owing to lack of explosive. The Battalion’s War Diary describes the day - “Crozat Canal 7am. Battalion in position, but all attempts to blow up the bridge failed owing to lack of explosive. 5.45pm Heavy attack by enemy on La Montagne Bridge, "C" Coy. on left flank came under very heavy machine gun fire & were forced to retire, enemy crossing Bridge. Counter-attack by 2 Companies Northants, assisted by "C" Coy, restored situation & by 7.30 p.m. all enemy were thrown back across Bridge.” A counter-attack by the Northamptonshire Regiment, assisted by "C" Coy, restored the situation and by 7.30 p.m. all enemy were thrown back across Bridge.
Ernest was not seen again and was presumed killed in action. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £20 10s and pay owing of £1 8s 10d. She also received a pension of 13s 9d a week. She gave her address on pension records as Digswell Place, Welwyn, later changing it to 77 Stanmore Road, Stevenage.
Ernest had a younger brother, Reuben, who served in the Army Service Corps and survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson, Paul Jiggens, Welwyn and District History Society - www.welwynww1.co.uk, Brenda Palmer
