Pack, Ernest Clement

Clement (he was known as Clem)was the only son of Herbert and Alice Caroline (nee Worboys) Pack, born at Ashwell, Hertfordshire on 10 February 1896. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylor School in Ashwell.

Clem enlisted with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 1 November 1915. Nothing else is known of his military history. He survived the War.

He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

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

The 1911 census shows him a butcher’s errand boy.

Clem married Adelaide Minnie Payne in the 2^nd quarter 1923 in the Biggleswade District, Bedfordshire. They had two children, Eileen Olive born in 1925 and Sybil A born in 1927.

The 1939 census shows them living at Codicote, Hertfordshire with Ernest a grocers van driver and ARP first aider/stretcherbearer.

Clem died at Sandy, Bedfordshire on 26 October 1973.

From the Royston Crow 1914 December: On the 11th December a handsomely framed engraved Roll of Honour of Old Boys of the Merchant Taylors School serving their King and Country in the war was unveiled. ‘This excited among the Scholars much interest and a patriotic spirit and many were the glances at the list of names some of whom were the Fathers and Brothers of the Boys. They numbered 64 boys in all who had volunteered for active service. Two on the list – Horace Bryant and Percy Reeve – had died the death of heroes in trying to save England from the ravages of the “Cultural Hun” being killed in action in the retreat from Mons.’ Only a week later there were more additions to the list. The new volunteers were Frederick Pack, Clem Pack, Horace Reeve, Jack Harman, John Winter and Albert Amtman. However there was also news of another old boy, George Waldock, that had been killed in action but there was no further information. There are two members of the Waldock family on the War memorial, Harry W.G. Waldock and Herbert George Waldock either could have been familiarly called ‘George’