Martin, Ernest

Ernest was the only son of Thomas and Clara Isabella (nee Lawrence) Martin, born in the 1^st quarter 1894 at Brent Pelham, Hertfordshire.  The family moved to Ashwell when Ernest was a boy and he was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School there.

Ernest enlisted on 14 August 1914 and was posted to the 7^th Reserve Cavalry Regiment, Regimental Number 5738, on the 27 August 1914.   On 1 June 1915 he was transferred to the 9^th (Queen’s Royal) Lancers with the same Regimental Number as part of the British Expeditionary Forces and was sent to the Western Front, France and Flanders.  On 2 February 1916 he was transferred to the 2^nd Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) Squadron, Regimental Number 42333.  Ernest survived the War and was discharged on 29 March 1919.

Ernest was awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

Ernest worked at the Brewery in Ashwell and by 1914 was working as a groom.  He was a member of the Snowdrop Minstrels in Ashwell and was licensee of the Six Bells Pub there at the time of his marriage.

Ernest married Elizabeth (Lizzie) Mary Clements at Ashwell on 14 May 1921.  It is not known if they had children.

Ernest died in at the Hertfordshire Sanatorium, Ware, on 28 May 1926.