Ernest Alfred Bennett

A Private with the 2nd Battalion, Ernest died on 24th of January 1916 at the age of 29.

Ernest was born at Worlingham in 1886, a son of Alfred and Mary Ann Bennett. He was baptised at Worlingham on 25 April 1886. In 1891 his family lived at Haithe Road (sic), Worlingham, and by 1901 were living at Wingfield Road, Bungay, and Ernest worked as an apprentice harness maker. Later Ernest's father became a publican.

On 24 December 1910 Ernest married Sarah Wade at Christchurch, Lowestoft. Ernest was living at Christchurch Cottages, and working as a fisherman, and Sarah lived at 50 Whapload Road. Ernest has not been found in the 1911 Census, presumably he was at sea, but Sarah is found lodging at 87 Seago Street. By 1916 they had a home at 27 Wilde Street, Lowestoft.

Ernest volunteered and joined the Army at Lowestoft. He enlisted in the Suffolk Regiment and, on 27 July 1915, arrived in France to serve with the 2nd Battalion. In late January 1916 the Battalion were holding positions, including The Bluff, near Ypres, Belgium. The Battalion War Diary records that Ernest was killed on 24 January, but gives no additional details.  

NOTE: All civil records show Ernest's name as Ernest Alfred, including the text accompanying his photograph in the Downham Market Gazette, however, for reasons unknown, all of his military service records give his names as Alfred Ernest. 

Subsequently Sarah remarried at lived at 26 West Bar Street, Portland.