No.11935, Private, Ernest Thomas BULLETT
Aged 23
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Ernest Bullett was born in 1892 in Kentford (Mildenhall Q2-1891 4A:811) the son of Walter and Eliza Maria BULLETT (née WILSON).
1901 census... Aged 9, he was at GER Station, Kennett, with his father, Walter BULLETT [36] a GER labourer, born Hessett, Suffolk; his mother Eliza [46], brother Albert Bartholomew [17] agricultural labourer, and sister Blanche [7]. All except Walter were born in Kentford. 1911 census... Aged 19, a hall boy, he was at Brambletye, East Grinstead working for James Lamarsh. His widower father and sister Blanche were still at Station Yard, Kennett. His mother had died in 1910. Ernest Thomas BULLETT died in hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne (10B:64) |
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He enlisted in Walthamstow, Essex. His medal card shows he died just one month after arriving in France. Given that he was evacuated to England, to Newcastle, after being wounded, his was a very short spell in France. His headstone (subscribed for by the villagers and other friends) has him as being wounded at La Bassee. The 20th February 1915 Newmarket Journal reported:- Military Funeral at Kennett DIED FOR HIS KING AND COUNTRY- "With military honours the body of Pte. Ernest Bullett of the Coldstream Guards was laid to rest on Monday afternoon in the churchyard at Kennett. The parish has a population of 180 and twelve names are inscribed on the Roll of honour which hangs in the church porch. Against the name of Private Bullett have been written the words "The first to be called away" with the date of his death, February 10th. Ernest Bullett was the son of Mr. Walter Bullett, foreman platelayer at Kennett station for many years, and, following his father's example, entered the service of the Great Eastern Railway Company. Up to August last year he was employed as a porter at Hoe Street Station, Walthamstow, and when the war broke out he was one of the earliest to enlist.He joined the Coldstream Guards and, with that famous regiment, which had fought so gallantly, left Southampton for the Front on January 9th. The Coldstreams went into action on January 22nd and Pte Bullett sustained, in his first day's fighting, at La Bassee, a bullet wound in the groin.Upon being brought back to England he was sent to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (1st Northern General Hospital) at Newcastle-on-Tyne, where he passed away, on Wednesday, February 10th, at the early age of twenty three....... .....bearers and drummers of the same battalion, and with them two buglers and a sergeant of the Coldstream Guards. Representatives of the Mortlock Lodge, Kennett, of the Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds ( of which the deceased was a member) wearing sashes and carrying crooks followed the drummers...Then came the coffin, in an open waggon (in lieu of a gun carriage) draped with the Union Jack....after the last sentences of the service three volleys were fired by the soldiers over the grave, the drums being rolled between each volley. Then, fixing bayonets, the firing party "presented arms" while the buglers sounded the "Last Post"....A desire being felt that the parish should provide a memorial to the late Private Bullett - the first Kennett man to lose his life during the present war - Mr G.N.Ransome started a fund for the erection of a simple tombstone, bearing an appropriate inscription. Nobody was asked to give a large sum, the object aimed at being that householder should subscribe something. All whom Mr,. Ransom approached gave most generously and in small amounts a total of £3-11s-3d (£3.16) was subscribed previous to the day of the funeral, something being given by each household in the parish." |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details