Name
Ernest William Reedman
7/12/1913
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
26/05/1940
26 Yrs.
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Warrant Officer Class II
5948110
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RONCQ COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Grave 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Aldbury WW2 Memorial Plaque
Pre War
Ernest William REEDMAN was born on 7th December 1913, in Aldbury, Hertfordshire. Son of David Thomas (Tom) Reedman a Farm Horsekeeper and Amy Marther Reedman (nee Messider).
His parents were married on 14th October 1911 in Aldbury, Herts. One of their seven children.
1921 Census records Ernest aged 7, at school, living with his parents, brothers, Aubrey (9), Reginald (5), and sister Kathleen (1), in Aldbury, Herts.
Ernest married Hilda Felks in the second quarter of 1936, the marriage was registered in Bedford, Beds. They went on to have one daughter, June B Reedman, born in June 1937.
The 1939 Register records his parents, sisters, Kathleen, and Nacy, and two others closed records (due to the 100-year Rule) are living at 1 Toms Hill Road, Aldbury, Herts. His wife Hida and one other closed record (possible daughter June) are living in Ashburnham Road, Bedford, Beds. The location of Ernest was not found.
It is not known when Ernest enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment, he was issued with the service No. 5948110, he went on to obtain the rank of Warrant Officer (Class III) (Platoon Sergeant Major).
Wartime Service
Due to his rank, it is assumed Ernest was a serving soldier at the outbreak of World War 2.
“The 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment went to France in September 1939, as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) advancing into Belgium to meet the advancing German Forces, then the long fighting retreat, which included Holding positions at Avelghem, Le Triez, Ploegsteert and Dickebusch Lake, before being evacuated from the Beaches of Dunkirk, (The evacuation from the Dunkirk Beaches took place between 26th May 1940 to 4th June 1940).”
Ernest was Killed in action on Sunday 26th May 1940, aged 26, during the fighting retreat to Dunkirk. He is buried in Ronco (Blanc-Four) Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. Grave 1.
Additional Information
Hilda remarried in 1944, in Bedford, to John Edward Randolph Willy.
His father David served as a Sergeant in the Machine Gun Corps in World War 1. (Service No. 35787).
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
