HUMPHREY, Ernest


No.51122, Private, Ernest HUMPHREYS
Aged 26


7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Tuesday, 20th November 1917


Ernest HUMPHREY was born in Haverhill (Risbridge Q2-1891 4A:724), son of George and Eliza Webb HUMPHREY (née BASHAM).

The surname is at times HUMPHREY and other times HUMPREYS

1901 census...Aged 9, he was at 39 Eden Road, Haverhill with his father George HUMPHREY [47] domestic groom born Ridgewell; his mother Eliza [47]; sisters Alice [22] coat machinist, Rose Lily [20] jacket machinist, Lizzie [18] jacket machinist and Edith Ellen [6]; brothers Arthur [14] apprentice shoe maker and Albert William [11] and nephew William Thomas [1], son of Alice HUMPHREY.

His mother died in 1902 and his father in 1903.

1911 census...He has not been found in this census. At 39 Eden Road, Haverhill were his sisters Alice and Edith Ellen, and Alice's son William Thomas. Ernest enlisted into the army joining the Suffolk Regiment Private No 22758, most likely on a Short Service whereby he would have served a number of years before being discharged and placed in the reserves.

His nephew, William Thomas HUMPHREY died just three weeks earlier, serving in Palestine in the Suffolk Regiment. see here


Fellow Haverhill man, Verner Radford, also of the 7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment was killed in action on 23rd November and is also commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial. see here



He enlisted in Whitehall.
Having marched with as much secrecy as possible, to assemble at Gouzeaucourt, the 12th Division were on the right of the line, south of the road leading out of the village to Lateau Wood. They attacked along the Bonavis Ridge. Instead of a barrage to destroy the enemy wire and thus leave craters everywhere, tanks were used which swiftly crushed lane through the wire. Zero hour had been 3:30 am and the Hindenburg system in their frontage was swiftly over-run. Lateau Wood was sheltering some German artillery but these were captured. Despite some stern opposition at times, the whole operation was successful.

CWGC figures show that Ernest was one of the unfortunate 10 who died that day, none has a known grave.




Ernest Humphrey is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, panel 4
and commemorated in the Old Independent Church, Haverhill

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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