L/Cpl 94253 Ernest Firth

• Age: 22
• From: Ossett, Yorkshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Wednesday 1st May 1918
• Commemorated at: Longuenesse Cem St Omer
  Panel Ref: V.A.81

Ernest Firth was born on the 30th October 1895 in Ossett, Yorkshire, the son of Joseph Senior Firth and his wife Ellen (née Garrard) who were married in 1890 in Ossett, registered in Dewsbury. He was baptised on the 8th December 1895 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Wesley St, Ossett. 

The 1901 Census finds the family living at Headlands, Westfield Street, Ossett. Ernest is five years of age and lives with his parents and sister. His father, Joseph, was born in Ossett and is a 37 year old clerk for a mungo manufacturer, (this was an early form of recycling and was important in the heavy woollen districts of West Yorkshire), his mother, Ellen, is 34 years of age and was born in Suffolk. He has an older sister, Hilda, aged 6 who was also born in Ossett.
 
The family are still living at Westfield Street, Ossett at the time of the 1911 Census. Ernest is a 15 year old clerk and lives with his parents and two sisters. His father, is a 47 year old commercial clerk, his mother is aged 44 with her place of birth shown as Mendlesham, Suffolk. They have been married for 20 years and have had three children. His siblings are shown as Hilda, now 16 and a milliner's apprentice and 2 month old Jessie.    

Ernest enlisted in Haslingden and originally served as Private 24189, in the East Lancashire Regiment.

Following a transfer he was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 94253.

Ernest died of Gun Shot Wounds to his right thigh at the O.C.2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station on the 01st May 1918, aged 22, during the German Spring Offensive. 

His death was reported in the 

Ossett Observer - Saturday 11 May 1918 

YOUNG OSSETT SOLDIER'S SACRIFICE. 

Following a rather hopeful letter on Saturday from an Australian Clearing Station in France, concerning their only son, Lance-corporal Ernest Firth (22), King's Liverpool Regiment, who was wounded in recent fighting, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Firth, of Westfield-street, Ossett, on Monday received the distressing news that the young soldier had succumbed to his injuries. An army chaplain, in the course of a sympathetic letter, said that gangrene developed from a shrapnel wound in the leg, so that it became necessary to amputate the limb. At mid-day on the previous Wednesday, the patient was wonderfully bright and cheery, and hopes were entertained of his making a good recovery, but during the afternoon he suddenly collapsed and died. The writer added that he remained brave and cheery to the end, and had been buried in a little cemetery near the clearing station. 

Lance-corporal Firth, who used to be in the borough treasurer's department at the Ossett Town Hall, had obtained an appointment in the treasurer's department at Haslingden, Lancashire where he was giving much promise, when he enlisted in the East Lancashire Regiment, in January 1916. A few months later he formed part of a draft of men for India, but was retained in England to undergo a course of special training in musketry, and continued until September 1917, as a musketry instructor. After qualifying he became a Lewis-gun instructor, and was transferred to the King's Liverpool Regiment on going to France, which was so recently as March 17th last. Until he left Ossett deceased was actively connected with the Wesley-street, Wesleyan Sunday School, being the harmoniumist for years and he afterwards identified himself with religious work at Haslingden. 

His death was aslo reported in the Wakefield Express on Saturday 15 June 1918; 

OSSETT AND HORBURY WESLEYAN CIRCUIT. - The quarterly meeting was held at the Horbury Wesleyan Sunday School on Wednesday evening, following the circuit local preachers' meeting and a tea. The Rev. W. Hindes, the superintendent minister, presided over a representative gathering. Early on in the proceedings he made feeling references to losses sustained in the war by members of the meeting, and he specially mentioned how Mr. G. W. Green, Mr. Arthur Jessop and Mr. J. S. Firth had each lost an only son, and he also referred to the death of Gunner White, who had been a worker in connexion with the Ossett Dewsbury Road Society and school. 

It was also reported in the Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry ) on Tuesday 18 June 1918: 

DIED OF WOUNDS. 

KING'S (LIVERPOOL REGIMENT). - Bauser,  300188, A. C. (Chelmsford); Bell, 46630, W. (Whitehaven); Buckley, 99432, J. (Sutton-in-Ashfield); Charlesworth, 99291, A. (Mexborough); Dentith, 29766, Cpl. R. (Crewe); Firth, 94253, L.-Cpl. E. (Ossett); Howard, 360117, C. J. (Torquay); Leadbeater, 49572, J. H. (Southport); Murray, 51712, E. D. (Liverpool); Pitts, 269899, H. (St. Johns); Rigby, 49533, H. (Bootle). 

He now rests at Longuenesse Cemetery, St Omer, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“GOD KNOWS, HE LOVES, HE CARES”

St. Omer was the General Headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force from October 1914 to March 1916. Lord Roberts died there in November 1914. The town was a considerable hospital centre with the 4th, 10th, 7th Canadian, 9th Canadian and New Zealand Stationary Hospitals, the 7th, 58th (Scottish) and 59th (Northern) General Hospitals, and the 17th, 18th and 1st and 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Stations all stationed there at some time during the war. St. Omer suffered air raids in November 1917 and May 1918, with serious loss of life.

The cemetery takes its names from the triangular cemetery of the St. Omer garrison, properly called the Souvenir Cemetery (Cimetiere du Souvenir Francais) which is located next to the War Cemetery.

The Commonwealth section of the cemetery contains 2,874 Commonwealth burials of the First World War (6 unidentified), with special memorials commemorating 23 men of the Chinese Labour Corps whose graves could not be exactly located. Second World War burials number 403, (93 unidentified). Within the Commonwealth section there are also 34 non-war burials and 239 war graves of other nationalities.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker. 

He earned his two medals, the Medal Roll recording he was with the 20th Battn. 

Ernest’s Soldiers Effects(18th Battn), Army Pay of £6 8s 3d and £10 War Gratuity went to his father Joseph. He also received a pension of 5/- pw. 

On the 1921 Census at Westfield Street, father Joseph is aged 57, a commercial clerk, mother Ellen is 54, Hilda 27, and Jessie 10. 

On the 1939 Register his parents are still at “Westleigh”. His mother died, aged 81, in 1948, and his father, aged 87, in 1951, both registered at Lower Agbrigg, West Riding.

Grateful thanks are extended to Ossett History (Ossett.net) for sourcing his photo and newspaper obituary.  

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