Ernest Samuel Crouch
A Private with the 1/6th Battalion, Ernest Crouch died on 27th of March 1917 at the age of 31.
Ernest was born at Lowestoft on 1 September 1885, a son of William and Elizabeth Crouch. He was baptised at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley, on 21 March 1889 and his family lived at 2 Lorne Road. By 1891 his family were living at 53 Lawson Road, and in 1901 the family home was at 62 Albert Street. In 1911 they lived at 8 Kirkley Street. Ernest’s mother died in 1911 and later his father moved to Canada. His sister, Laura, lived at 40 High Street, Lowestoft.
In 1911 Ernest was the Master of the trawler Flower of Devon, LT 302, at Padstow, Cornwall.
Ernest was living at Plaistow, Essex, when he volunteered and enlisted in the Army at West Ham. He joined the Essex Regiment and was posted to the 1/6th Battalion, service number 2362. The battalion landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, in the early hours of 12 August 1915. On 4 December the battalion was evacuated to Mudros and on 16 December they arrived at Alexandria. Throughout their time in Gallipoli the battalion’s men had been beset by illness, particularly dysentery and scabies. On 31 December 1915 the battalion could only muster 16 officers and 380 other ranks.
In 1917 Ernest was renumbered 275379.
On 26 March 1917 the 53rd (Welsh) Division made an attack at Gaza in what became known as the First Battle of Gaza. The 1/6th Battalion were in the 161st Brigade which supported the 53rd Division in the attack. Late on the 126th the 1/6th were ordered to take Green Hill, which they did, despite heavy fighting. Ernest was wounded on 26 March and died of his wounds at Mansura Dressing Station the next day.
My great uncle Ernest Samuel Crouch was born in 1885, the fifth of ten children to Elizabeth Prior (died 24 September 1911 aged 56, buried Lowestoft Cemetery) and William Crouch (emigrated to Canada in August 1919, died in Toronto).
In 1891 Ernest was living at 53 Lawson Road, Lowestoft.
He served with the Essex Regiment in Egypt and Palestine in World War 1.
A letter to Ernest's sister Ethel Horne from the War Office dated 20 September 1918 states that "Lance Corporal E S Crouch died in the dressing station at Mansura Ridge in the vicinity of Gaza, and was presumably buried by the enemy. This area is now in our hands."
His friend and comrade Mr H E Sterling told in letters to Ethel that on 26 March 1917 Ernest was "advancing around a road with his platoon when there was a Turks machine gun. Earnie got hit badly.
I saw him (the next day) on a stretcher. He spoke to me and seemed alright, only I didn't like one thing he said to me, 'Mate, I am hit so bad I don't think I shall live'.
I only had 2 or 3 minutes with him and I was ordered to go up to the front again. I never saw no more of him, the next thing I was asked to identify the disc which hung around his neck and was told he had died of wounds on the 27th."
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Lowestoft born and bred. The 1911 Census shows him as master of 'Flower of Devon' LT302 when family home was 8 Kirkley Street.
War records show his residence as Plaistow, Essex (now East London) hence died serving with Essex Regiment. CREDIT:Brian Horne
Ernest Crouch
8
Kirkley Street
Lowestoft
United Kingdom
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