weaver

Name Ernest L Weaver

Regiment 233rd Field Coy Royal Engineers

Service Rank and Number 104490

Military Cemetery/Memorial Menin Gate Memorial

Ref No. of Grave or Memorial Panel 9

Country of Cemetery/Memorial Belgium

Medals Awarded Victory and British War medals and awarded Military Medal 19th Dec 1916

Date and Circumstances of Death Died aged 28 on 13th August 1917

Biographical Details Known Ernest was born in 1889 in Tilston Cheshire. We find him there in the census of 1901 aged 12. His father was William 40, a gardener (working for a barrister George Mason). His mother was Mary and she had been born in St Asaph. Their children were James 14 an apprentice gardener, Ernest 12, Mary R 10 and William S 6.

His service records are well preserved and they tell us that he enlisted at Chester Castle on the 3rd September 1915. His Attestation papers reveal that he was 20 years old and that he lived in Mold. His next of kin was his father William Joseph Weaver who now lived at Gwysaney Gardens, Mold. His trade or calling was that of joiner/carpenter.

The following reference was sent to the Recruiting Officials at Chester Castle on the 16th August 1913 (The date is indistinct and this is a best guess).

Memo from Vickers and Sons
Builders and Contractors
Tilston
Malpas

Gentlemen,
Re Ernest Weaver, joiner.
We have pleasure in giving the above the best of references a good reliable tradesman and if he had not passed we should have kept him as one of the last to leave us. he is and always was through his apprenticeship conscientious over his time and work and we cannot say how sorry we are to lose him. he goes with our best wishes and on his return we shall be glad of the offer of his services. There are two others who ought to go and we will do our best to persuade them to follow on,
Yours respectfully
H Vickers

He embarked for France on 2nd May 1916. Six months later he was admitted to hospital with a simple fracture of the 3rd metacarpul left.
The injury occurred 29th October 1916 while he was engaged in erecting a hut in the vicinity of Ouderdom. The soldier was in no way to blame for the accident.

He was awarded the Military Medal on 19th December 1916.

He died on the 13th August 1917. His records include signed receipts from his father for his medals and another signed receipt for Ernest's possessions. All that he had in the world was one religious card.