Biography of Private Ernest Durham (53408)
10th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
Formerly 16th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
Died 17th August 1918

• Name: Mary Ann Grocock
• DOB: 1852
• Place Of Birth: Billingborough, Lincolnshire, England
• Marriage: 1873 Bourne District

• Three of his brothers also in WW1.

• Father: Charles Garwell
• Mother: Mary Taylor

• Ernest’s sister Martha married John W Robinson and together they took over the Post Office at HMS Daedalus in 1916 which became RAF Cranwell in 1918.
• Hannah Garwell became quite a figure in Billingborough having to bring up a young family after the war on her own and set up a successful sewing business, eventually employing 5 seamstresses through difficult times.

Newspaper Mentions

• War Office Weekly Casualty List, September 18th 1917
  WOUNDED
  SHERWOOD FORESTERS
  Durham 53408 E. (Billingborough)

• Lincolnshire Echo Wednesday 21st August 1918
  Another Billingborough soldier has made the great sacrifice. At the beginning of the week Mrs Ernest Durham, Vine Street received an official telegram that her husband, Private Ernest Durham (Notts and Derby’s) was dangerously ill in France and this was followed by another wire stating that he had died from gas shell poisoning. Deceased who had been previously gassed was about 30 years of age and before joining the forces was a foreman over the local road workers under the District Council. While kind and courteous to the men he was nevertheless a trusted and reliable official and the news of his death has created a painful feeling amongst those who knew him. Deep sympathy is expressed for the widow, who in a delicate state of health, is left with three young children; also his mother and other relatives. Three other brothers are in the Army and unfortunately, one of them, Pte C. Durham is a prisoner in Germany.

• Grantham Journal Saturday 24th August 1918
  BILLINGBOROUGH
  DEATH OF A LOCAL SOLDIER – At the beginning of the week Mrs Ernest Durham, Vine Street received an official telegram that her husband, Private Ernest Durham (Notts and Derby’s) was dangerously ill in France and this was followed by another wire stating that he had died from gas-shell poisoning. Deceased who had been previously “gassed” was about 30 years of age and before joining the forces was a foreman over the local road workers. Kind and courteous to the men, he was a trusted and reliable official and the news of his death has created deep sympathy for the widow, (who in a delicate state of health, is left with three young children); also his mother and other relatives. Three other brothers are in the Army and one of them, Pte C. Durham being a prisoner in Germany.

• Sleaford Gazette Saturday 7th September 1918
  BILLINGBOROUGH
  ANOTHER SACRIFICE
  We regret to state that another Billingborough soldier has made the great secrifice.  At the beginning of the week Mrs. Ernest Durham, Vine Street, received an official telegram that her husband, Priv Ernest Durham (Notts. and Derby’s) was dangerously ill in France and this was followed by another wire stating that he had died from gas shell poisoning.  Deceased, who had been previously gassed, was about 30 years of age and before joining the Forces was foreman over the local road workers under the District Council.  While kind and courteous to the men, he was, nevertheless, a trusted and reliable official, and the news of his death has created a painful feeling amongst these who knew him.  Deep sympathy is expressed for the widow, who, in a delicate state of health, is left with three young children; also his mother and other relatives.  Three other brothers are in the Army, and, infortunatly, one of them, Priv C Durham, is a prisoner of war in Germany.

Military Records

Medals

• The British Medal
• The Victory Medal

Memorials

• UK:
• Billingborough, Roll of Honour in St Andrews Church

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
• In memory of Private Ernest Durham, 53408, 10th Bn., Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) who died on 17 August 1918 Age 30
• Husband of H. Durham. Native of Billingborough, Lincs.
• Remembered with Honour, Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport
• VII. B. 11B.

© Photo courtesy of Nick Robinson

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

• Enlisted in Bourne
• Died of wounds

• This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

• WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
• British Newspaper Archive.
• Fold 3
• Find My Past
• Genealogist
• Forces War Records
• British Army Service Numbers
• War Gratuity Calculator
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
• General Registry Office
• Nick Robinson