Ernest William Deavin
Born in 1891, Ernest was the second youngest of three boys and one girl born to William, a painter, and Sarah Jane (née Larner). William's first wife, Sarah Ann Briggs, died in 1886, so the older boys were stepbrothers to Ernest. The family home was at 14 Crown Walk, St Ives. William died in 1895 in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, when Ernest was 4yrs old.
The family were clearly close. In 1911 all three sons and one daughter, aged from 34yrs to 15yrs, were still living at home with their mother. Ernest was employed as a printer, working for Coggs in Huntingdon. Ernest married Annie Marshall in 1915 at the Parish Church in Houghton.
There is very little information available about Ernest's war service. He was a Lance Corporal in the 11th Battalion, Essex Regiment. Wounded by shrapnel on 21 December 1917 in France, Ernest was taken to No. 1 Canadian Hospital General Hospital. On the morning of Sunday 23 December he was 'getting on very comfortably, and was bright and happy'. Unfortunately a haemorrhage set in during the afternoon and he died of wounds, aged 26yrs. Ernest's death was reported in the Cambridge Independent Press of 4 January 1918. He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, France. The inscription on his gravestone, chosen by his mother, is "Peace perfect peace".
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Source materials
Click any of the links below to view original source materials.
1891 Census
1901 Census
1911 Census
Medal Rolls Index Card
Commonwealth War Graves Register
Commemorative Certificate
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