Born: 1888, Bradford
Died: 19 April 1917
Buried: Grand Serraucourt British Cemetery
Address: 18 Fagley Terrace, Eccleshill
Parents: Sam & Louisa, nee Crowther
Spouse: Bertha, nee Haigh
Siblings: Fred, Fanny
Occupation: Cashier
Organisations/clubs: Chorister, St Luke’s, Eccleshill
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: St Luke’s, Eccleshill
Children: Eric
Regiment: Lancashire Fusiliers
Ernest Wilkinson
Ernest Wilkinson was born in 1888
in Bradford the son of Sam, and
Louisa nee Crowther.
By 1901 Ernest, at 13 years of age,
was working as a silk cotton warp
dresser and the family were living
in Hind Street, Wyke.
On the 4th of June 1910, at Wyke
Parish Church, Ernest married
Bertha Haigh, 21 years of age who
was living in Wyke and the
daughter of Richard Haigh
(deceased), a joiner. Ernest was 22
years of age and working as a
cashier.
They moved to live at 18 Fagley
Terrace and Ernest
became a chorister at St
Luke’s Church,
Eccleshill. Their son
Eric was born in 1913.
Ernest enlisted on the 1st
of August 1916 as
Private 22708 in the
18th Battalion of the
Lancashire Fusiliers.
During February 1917
the German army retreated to the
Hindenburg Line and the front
moved several miles beyond the
Somme battlefields. The 18th
Battalion was part of the operation
which moved forward on
the 14th of March to
pursue, an operation which
lasted until the 15th of
April.
At some point Ernest was
taken prisoner and he died
as a prisoner of war on the
19th of April 1917. It is
probable that he was either
wounded during this
operation and died from
his wounds or his body was found
by the Germans and given burial.
He was 29 years of age.
He is buried in the Grand-
Seraucourt British Cemetery which
was made between 1920 to 1926 by
the concentration of graves from
the battlefields and from other
burial grounds. Here are 32
United Kingdom graves buried by
the enemy.
Ernest left his effects to his widow
Bertha who received £3.11.6d on
the 30th July 1918 and a War
Gratuity of £3.0.0d on the 13th of
January 1920.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
