Russ, Ernest 1917

Ernest Edward Russ .    Died 16th August  1917

Ernest was born in 1897 in Binfield, Berkshire to father, Thomas and mother Eliza. He was the fifth of five brothers, plus a baby sister, Elsie. Two years earlier, an Ernest Edward was born, but had died, and our Ernest took up the name. Thomas was a carter on a farm in 1901 and Ernest had, like his elder brother Albert, become a shoe repairer. Thomas and Liza were to lose two sons, both Ernest and William, the second son.
Due to bombing in the second world war, we do not know when he joined the Royal Berks 1/4th Battalion as the records were destroyed. There are two records regarding Ernest’s death, one in 1915 and a second more likely in 1917. The first comes from a database ‘Soldiers Died’ which is from the old Department of Stationery. The second is of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and includes a contribution from Ernest’s parents. The 1915 record describes a day when only a small attack took place which killed one officer and he was not Ernest. However, the later attack of 16th August 1917 was in the middle of Passchendaele and when 50 men were killed on the day.

A corporal of the 1/4th Battalion writes home, describing the attack in which it is believed Ernest was killed:
‘We have just come through the worst battle in which our battalion has been engaged and I am sorry to tell you that our casualties have been rather heavy, but ours are not to be compared with the enemy, on whom we inflicted tremendous losses. I have never been through such fighting and those who were fortunate enough to get through share the same opinion’.

Sadly, although we know Ernest won the Military Medal, we do not as yet know how.

Name: RUSS, ERNEST EDWARD
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Royal Berkshire Regiment
Unit Text: 1st/4th Bn.
Age: 20 Date of Death: 16/08/1917
Service No: 200373 Awards: M M
Additional information: Son of Mrs. Eliza Russ, of 84, Westcott Rd., Wokingham, Berks.
Grave/Memorial Reference: L. C. 7. Cemetery: POELCAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY

92 Fairview Cottages, Wokingham (1911)

84, Westcott Rd., Wokingham, Berks. (mother 1921+)