L/Cpl 22424 Ernest Victor Ingham

• Age: 29
• From: West Kirby, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Ernest Victor Ingham was born in West Kirby in 1887 the son of Jeremiah Ingham and his wife Mary (nee  Cook) both of whom were from Blackburn. They had married in the town in 1872. Ernest was the third of five sons, and the seventh child in the family. His parents had 11 children, two of whom died young. His older siblings were Margaret Ann, Elizabeth Jane, Bertha (who died in infancy), twins William and John, Edith Mary, and Hilda May. He had younger siblings Ethel (who died at age 1, Herbert, and Alan. 

At the time of the 1891 Census the family is living in Grange Road, West Kirby.  They have eight children; Ernest is 3 years old.  His father is aged 41, a wine and spirit merchant, mother Mary is 39.  Also in the household is Ann Cook, 35, a domestic servant.    

From 1891-1897 his father was a freemason at Hilbre Lodge. 

The 1901 Census shows that the family were living at 26 North Road, West Kirby, his father is aged 51, shown as an Estate Agent & Surveyor, and mother Mary is 49. They have eight children at home. Elizabeth, 24, and Edith, 15, are dressmakers, William and John, both 17, are apprentice joiners, and Hilda, 14, is a coal merchant’s clerk.  Ernest is 13, Herbert 10, and Alan 6. Margaret is married and lives locally. 

His mother died on the 8th June 1905 aged 53 and the family had moved to The Dunes, Egbert Road, Meols. 

Ernest was educated at Caldy Grange Grammar School and upon leaving school he trained to be a carpenter.

By 1911 they are at 5 Egbert Road, Hoylake.  His widowed father, 61, is an architect and surveyor working on his own account.  He has five children at home and sister-in-law Ann Cook still lives with them.  Elizabeth, 34, is a dressmaker, William is 27, a joiner, Hilda, 24, has no occupation, Herbert, 20, is an electrical engineer, and Alan, 16, is a railway clerk.  Married daughter Margaret lives at the same address in a separate household with her husband three children.  Edith and John are married and live in the area.

Ernest has not been found on the 1911 census.

He enlisted on the 7th November 1914 at Liverpool joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 22424. He gave his age as 27 years and 155 days and his occupation as a carpenter. He was described as being five feet three and a half inches tall, weighed 126lbs, with a 37 in chest, fresh complexion, with blue eyes, brown hair with a scar on his lower left jaw. He gave his next of kin as his father (later his sister Elizabeth) at The Dunes, Egbert Road, Meols and stated his religion as Church of England. 

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham.

25.8.15: He was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal. 

20.9.15: Reverted back to Private at his own request.  

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion. 

09.6.16: He was appointed a paid Lance Corporal.  

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 29, during the attack on the village of Guillemont, France.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.       

Ernest's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He was initially reported as missing and his name was amongst those reported as Wounded and Missing in the local press:

Deeside Casualties

Killed, Wounded, and Missing

The list of casualties amongst Deeside soldiers - casualties sustained mainly in the recent big "Push" - is still being added to.

Unofficial news has been received that the Pte Ernest Ingham, Liverpool "Pals", son of Colour Sergeant Jeremiah, has been wounded in both legs. Further details as to the extent of his injuries and to where he is at present are lacking, but it is to be hoped that reassuring news will shortly be to hand.

Ernest's death was confirmed shortly afterwards in the Liverpool Echo,

"Killed In Action": INGHAM - July 30, killed in action, Lance-corporal Ernest V. Ingham, of the machine-gun section, the Pals, third and dearly-loved son of J. and the late Mary Ingham, 19, Manor-road, Hoylake.

A report of his death appeared in the Deeside Advertiser on 25th August 1916:

THE FATE OF HOYLAKE BROTHERS

"Local people received with regret the news that Lance Corporal E V Ingham third son of Mr J Ingham, Manor Road, Hoylake was killed in action on July 30th. He was attached to the Machine Gun Section of the Liverpool "Pals". One of his brothers lies in a French hospital with his leg fractured"   

This was his brother Alan who was discharged from service in July 1918 as a result of his wounds.

Ernest’s name also appeared in the list of K.L.R. Killed published in the Liverpool Post & Mercury on 09th September 1916.  

King’s (Liverpools) - Ingham, 22424, E. V. (Meols); 

Ernest earned his three medals which his sister Elizabeth signed for after the death of their father in 1920 at the age of 70, living at 19 Manor Road, Hoylake.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £7-10s went to Elizabeth, who was awarded a gratuity in lieu of a pension in February 1917.

Ernest was remembered on the first anniversary of his death, by his family, in the Liverpool Echo on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost At Battle Of Guillemont”:

“In loving memory of Lance-corporal Ernest Victor Ingham, machine-gun section, Liverpool Pals, killed in action at Guillemont, July 30, 1916. - 19, Manor Road, Hoylake.”

His family also placed a notice on the second anniversary of his death:  

“In loving memory of Ernest Victor Ingham (20th K.L.R.), third son of Jeremiah Ingham, killed in action at Guillemont, July 30, 1916. - 19 Manor Road, Hoylake.”

His brother Alan had enlisted before the war at the age of 18 on 13th February 1914 and arrived in France on 21st February 1915 with the 1st/5th K.L.R.  He achieved the rank of Sergeant.  He suffered a GSW to the right leg and was discharged on 16th July 1918 with a Silver War Badge and a disability pension.

In 1919 his father was still at Manor Road, West Kirby with Elizabeth 42, Hilda 32, and Alan, 24. John, 35, was living in Hoylake, and William, 35, in West Kirby.  Margaret was married, living in Meols, and Edith, 33, also married, was in West Kirby.  No address is given for Herbert, 29.

Ernest is remembered on the family headstone in St Bridget’s Church, West Kirby

     ALSO ERNEST VICTOR, THEIR SON

FELL IN ACTION AT GUILLEMONT FRANCE

     30TH JULY, 1916, AGED 29 YEARS     

He is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Caldy Grammar School as Ingham, E V 

Memorial: Caldy Grange Grammar School - West Kirby, Merseyside 

St Bridget's Church, West Kirby. 

His father Jeremiah died, aged 70, on the 21st March 1920.  

We currently have no further information on Ernest Victor Ingham. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.