| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Ernest enlisted with the East Yorkshire Regiment in May 1915. He was aged 40. The age limit of 38 had only been raised to 40 earlier in the month and Ernest was a single man with a brother already serving with the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (K.O.Y.L.I)
Ernest was the eldest of three brothers and a sister, was been born in Beverley in 1875 to shoe and boot maker, John and wife Sarah Ann. The family lived in St Andrew Street moving to Keldgate around 1890. Ernest's mother Sarah died in 1893 when Ernest was 18 and the youngest child, Lily was only 4. At the time of the 1911 Census brothers Ernest, Arthur and Harold were living in the family house in Keldgate, father John having died in 1910. Ernest's occupation is given as builder's labourer.
On 21 Jan 1916 Private Ernest E Harrison embarked for Boulogne serving with the 8th Battalion, attached to 8th Brigade, 3rd Division. In Jul 1916 the Battalion was on the front line of the Battle of Bazentin Wood. A short bombardment and unexpected dawn attack caught the Germans by surprise and with the German second position and village of Bazentin le Grand captured; this new strategy was considered to have been a success. It was not, however, a success for the East Yorkshire Regiment who lost a total of 459 officers and men during the battle including 41 year old Private Ernest Edward Harrison.
Ernest is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. In Beverley Ernest is remembered on Beverley War Memorial in Hengate, East Yorkshire Memorial in Beverley Minster and the Keldgate Roll of Honour that can be found at 54-54a Keldgate.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |