HOLDER Ernest, Private. 22992.
1st Battalion Border Regiment.
Formerly East Surrey Regiment. 9711.
Killed in Action 1st July 1916, aged 19.
Ernest Holder, the youngest son of James and Eliza Ann Holder née Trafford, was born on 12 October 1896 in Epsom, Surrey (GRO reference: Dec 1896 Epsom 2a 215), and was baptised in St Giles’ Church, Ashtead, Surrey, on 7 February 1897.
Ernest’s father from Great Bookham, Surrey, had married 19-year-old Eliza Ann Trafford on 24 March 1875 in the parish church of Wytham, Oxfordshire. The couple made their home on Epsom Common where five of Ernest’s siblings were born: William James (1877-1942), Elizabeth Maud (1879-1967), James William (1881-), Rosina Mary (1883-1954), Emily (1885-1967).
Ernest’s father was a game keeper and sometime after the baptism of Emily in 1886, the family moved to Chalk Pit, Headley Road, Epsom, where another three of Ernest’s sisters were born, Alice May (1889-1968), Lily (1891-1932), and Florence Annie (1894-1980).
The 1901 census recorded that Ernest and his sisters Rose (Rosina), Emily, Alice, Lily, and Florence were living in Chalk Pit with their parents. The census recorded that their father had been born in Cork, Ireland, but no records of his birth or baptism, or indeed of his mother being in Ireland at any time have been found. Their mother Eliza Ann’s place of birth was recorded as being in Forest Hill, Oxford. This could be why Ernest’s sister Elizabeth was away working as a cook in Oxfordshire at this time. His brother William was married by then, and brother James was away in South Africa fighting in the Boer War.
Five years later, on 14 July 1906, Ernest’s sister Elizabeth sailed to New York to marry George Henry “Harry” Hunt, who would later become one of the RMS Titanic victims.
The 1911 census recorded that only Lily aged 19, Florence aged 17, and Ernest aged 14, were still living with their parents in Chalk Pit, Epsom. It was recorded that Ernest’s parents, James and Eliza Ann, had been married for 35 years and that all nine of their children were still alive.
Ernest, aged 19, enlisted in Kingston-Upon-Thames on 5 July 1915 into the East Surrey Regiment and was given the service number 9711. He lived at Chalk Pit, Headley Road, Epsom, was unmarried and worked as a Groundsman. His father James was his next-of-kin. Ernest was 5 feet 83/4 inches tall, weighed 150 lbs and had a chest measurement of 351/2 inches with an expansion of 5 inches.
On 13 September 1915 Ernest was sentenced to 5 days C.B. (Confined to barracks) for ‘Making an improper reply to a N.C.O.’. Witnessed by Sergeant Buchanan.
On 9 November 1915 Ernest was transferred to the 1st Battalion Border regiment which formed part of the 87th Brigade, 29th Division. On 24 November Ernest embarked from Devonport to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (M.E.F.). Ernest’s medal card confirms this and states that he entered ‘Theatre of War 2B’ which covered ‘Gallipoli and Aegean Islands’. However in early November the decision had been made to evacuate Gallipoli and on 22 November the evacuation commenced.
‘The Border Regiment in the Great War’ by Colonel H.C. Wylly tells us that during December five officers and 106 men joined the battalion. It seems likely that Ernest was one of the new arrivals. By 9 January 1916 the 1st Battalion Border regiment had been evacuated, thus Ernest’s service in Gallipoli was brief and Ernest left the M.E.F. and was sent to France on 11 March 1916.
Ernest fought in the Battle of the Somme. The following is an transcript from the 1st Battalion Border Regiment for the 1 July War Diary:
7.30am. The Btn (less 10%) advanced just south of BEAUMONT HAMEL, their objective being BEHUCOURT REDOUBT. The 2nd S.W.Bs, whose objective was the first two GERMAN LINES, were wiped out by MACHINE GUN fire in our own wire. The 1st Btn The BORDER REGT, then went over the top from our support line, and over our own first line, the bridges over our front trench having been ranged by the GERMAN MACHINE GUNNERS the day previously, we met with heavy losses, while crossing the bridges & passing through the lanes cut in our wire. The men were absolutely magnificent, and formed up as ordered outside our wire, made a right incline, and advanced into “NO MANS LAND” at a slow walk, also as ordered. The advance was continued until only little groups of half a dozen men were left here and there, finding that no reinforcements were in sight, took cover in shell holes or wherever they could.
8am. The advance was brought entirely to a standstill.
8.15am. Enemy reopened his bombardment on our trenches, for which our guns retaliated.
9.15am. Lieut-Col ELLIS having been wounded and brought in by No. 8409 Pte. NEWCOMBE, MAJOR MEIKLE JOHN (who had been in command of the 10??) assumed command of the Btn, and collected all the men he could in the support line, as ordered by the BRIGADIER.
10.30am. The 10% ordered back to reserve line, where they stayed until next morning. Advance definitely given up in this sector. The Btn strength of those who took part in advance was OFFICERS 23. OTHER RANKS 809.
CASUALTIES
KILLED: CAPTAINS F.R.JESSUP AND T.H.. BEVES.
MISSING BELIEVED KILLED: 2LIEUTENANTS W.K.SANDERSON, F.T.BAXENDINE, A.W.FRASER, AND L.JACKSON.
WOUNDED AND MISSING: 2LIEUTENANTS H.L.CHOLMELEY AND W.P.RETTIE.
WOUNDED: LIUTENANT-COLONEL A.J.ELLIS., CAPTAIN J.G.HEYDER. LIEUTs B.L.A.KENNETT, H.F.SAMPSON, AND J.B.SINCLAIR. 2LIEUTs G.W.N.ROWSELL, F.H.TALBOT, H.W.H.BARNES, D.BREMNER, F.T.WILKINS, D.C.R.STUART, AND D.CARGILL.
OTHER RANKS
KILLED 64
WOUNDED 411
MISSING 144
Ernest was missing in action on 1 July and for ‘Official Purposes’ was regarded as having died on or since that date. The Soldiers Died CD tells us that 194 men from the 1st battalion Border regiment died on 1 July 1916. A further 23 men from the battalion died of wounds between 2 July and 31 July 1916.
In June 1917 Army form ‘Effects-Form 118A’ required that any of Ernest’s personal property should be sent to his mother Eliza at 11 Church Road, Epsom. Ernest was awarded the 1915 Star, British War medal and the Victory medal.
As Ernest’s body was never found he could not have a named grave, consequently his name appears on the Thiepval memorial in France, along with some 72,000 others who have no known grave.
The Thiepval memorial to the 72,000 casualties of the Somme battle who have no known grave.
Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert
Ernest’s name does not appear on any of the local memorials, which seems to be strange as he was born, and lived in Epsom, as did his widowed mother at the time names were being collected for inclusion on war memorials. One possible reason is that his mother commemorated Ernest on the grave of his father James, who died in Netherne Asylum, aged 63. James’ death certificate recorded his address as 11 Church Road, Epsom, that he was a gamekeeper and his cause of death was ‘Chronic bronchitis. No PM’. He was buried in grave A408 in Epsom cemetery on 10 February 1917.
Ernest’s parents’ grave.
Image courtesy of Hazel Ballan.
The end kerb reads, in lead lettering:
‘ALSO OF ERNEST SON OF THE ABOVE’.
And a side kerb, also in lead lettering, reads:
‘MISSING ON THE SOMME JULY 1ST 1916 AGED 19 YEARS’.
Unfortunately time has not been kind to the grave, the words being difficult to read, and some lead letters are missing.
Ernest’s mother died at 15 York Road, Cheam, aged 85 and was buried with her husband in grave A408 in Epsom cemetery on 10 February 1945.
Hazel Ballan and Clive Gilbert 2024
Harry Hunt’s wife Elizabeth Maud, the daughter of James and Eliza Holder, had been born in a house on Epsom Common on 21st April 1879. Elizabeth had eight siblings – William (1877-1942), James (1881- ), Rosina (1883- ), Emily (1885- ), Alice May (1889-1968), Lily (1891-1932), Florence Annie (1894-1980), and Ernest Holder (1896-1916). Ernest was killed in action on 1st July 1916.