10170, Private, Ernest James Pomfret BYE
Aged 22
|
Born in Newmarket on 2nd October 1892 [Newmarket 3b:492], baptised St.Mary's, Bury St Edmunds, on 10th January 1893, 1st son of James and
Alice Mary BYE (née JARMAN)of 9 Lisburn Road, Newmarket.
1901 census...Ernest [8] was at 9 Lisburn Road, Newmarket with his father James [34], hotel porter, born Stetchworth; his mother Alice M[36], born Bury St. Edmunds; his sisters Eleanor M [6] and Christia D A [2] and brother Frederick W [8 months]. All the children were born in Newmarket. 1911 census...Ernest was now a boot repairer, living with his parents; sister Christia Dracilla Alice, and brother Frederick William at 3 Exeter Road, Newmarket. He enlisted in London. |
|
No Army records have been found so far as to service, but he must have been at least a Territorial to have been in France that early in the war. His battalion was in
Guernsey at the outbreak of war, returning to Southampton on 28th August 1914 and by October 6th they had landed at Zeebrugge. Given the location of the 2nd
Battalion at that time, it is probable that Ernest was buried in one of the three cemeteries at Sanctuary Wood, a few kilometres east of Ipres. These were
destroyed in later battles and the current Sanctuary Wood Cemetery was developed from the remains of one. Ernest's grave was obviously not found, hence his
name on the Menin Gate. The Newmarket Journal of 21st November 1914 reported his death:- "BYE - October 23, Pte. Ernest J.P.Bye (1017n0), 2nd Batt. Yorkshire Light Infantry, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Jas. Bye, 3 Exeter Road, Newmarket, who was killed in action, aged 22 years." |
© Commonwealth War Graves Commission
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details