Name
Ernest Albert Draper
1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/08/1918
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
39546
Essex Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
FONCQUEVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
II.A.4
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Aston War Memorial, St. Mary’s Church Roll of Honour, Aston, Broxbourne Town Memorial, St Augustine’s Church Memorial, Broxbourne, Broxbourne C Of E Primary School Memorial
Pre War
Ernest Albert DRAPER believed to have been born in Aston or Baldock, Hertfordshire, (depending on the document) in 1883.
Ernest was the husband of Louisa Hannah Draper (nee Leggett) the daughter of Frederick and Louisa Leggett, whom he married in 1910.
The 1911 Census records the couple living with Louisa’s parents at Admirals Walk, Hoddesdon, Herts, and Ernest worked as a Coachman in the local livery stables. They have a son Ernest George Draper, 7 months old. They went on to have two more children Dorothy Louisa, born in late 1911 and Reginald Verdun, born in 1916.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of the Great War, he enlisted at Broxbourne, Herts, and his trade led him to service with the Army Service Corps with the service number M/304620. He was later transferred into the Essex Regiment with the service number 39546, on completion of his training he served on the Western Front.
On the 23rd August 1918 the Battalion were positioned in Halifax Trench near the village of Foncquevillers, in the Somme sector. At 3.50am they moved to the forward positions near Achiet Le Petit, in readiness for an assault on German trenches near the village. As the attack got under way they were met with very heavy enemy artillery, machine gun and rifle fire. This soon held up the assault and support was requested from British Tanks. Only one Tank was available, and this was used to quell some of the enemy fire, which it managed to successfully achieve. However, the Battalion had suffered considerable casualties with 4 Officers and 86 Other Ranks either Killed or Missing. Edward is buried in the Foncquevillers Military Cemetery, France. Grave Ref: II. A. 4.
Additional Information
Louisa received a Grant of £8, on 20th September 1918, and a widow’s pension of 29/7, (£1-9-7) a week from 17th March 1919, and his effects of £3-5-9.
1921 Census records Louisa as a widow, living in High Road, Broxbourne, Herts, with her three children, Ernest (10), Dorothy (9) and Reginald (5).
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Paul Johnson
