Selected Biography

Hume, Ernest – Born: Middleton, Essex in 1882.  Parents: Charles Humm or Hume and Ann Elizabeth [née Groom].  Home: Ellistons Yard, Ballingdon, Essex (1901), St Marys Street, Long Melford [1914 to 1919], 4 Ellistons Yard, Ballingdon [1919 to 1958].  Occupation: Errand Boy (1901), Plate Layer for Great Eastern Railway [1914].  Service Record: Before 1914 Ernest served for four years in 2^nd [Volunteer] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment.  He enlisted on 2.4.1914 in Long Melford as Private, later Sgt.2001 with 2/5^th Battalion, Suffolks and was posted to Egypt on 21.1.1916 where he joined the men of 1/5^th Suffolks who had recently been evacuated from Gallipoli.  The early months of the year were spent away from the battlefront encamped near Cairo, by May however they had moved east of Suez, to guard the Canal from Turkish incursions.[1]  On 29.7.1916 Ernest was transferred as Spr.173357 to 276^th Railway Company, Royal Engineers, also stationed in Egypt.  On arrival with this unit, he was immediately promoted to Corporal, and by May 1918 had regained the rank of Sergeant.  By April 1919 he had been issued with the new service number of WR/290655 and transferred to the Army Reserve.[2]  In August 1920 Ernest was diagnosed with malaria contracted while on active service.[3]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk on 29.4.1958.[4]

Notes – [1] For details of 1/5^th Suffolk’s time in Egypt see War Diary [WO 95/] and Service Medal and Award Rolls, also Capt. A. Fair [MC] and Capt. E. D. Wolton [compiled by] “The Suffolk Regiment”: the history of the 1/5th Battalion [London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1923] pp.38-52.  [2] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [3] See the Infectious Diseases Register of Medical Certificates Received for 25.8.1920 [Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Record Office ref: EF501/4/20].  This document also lists other men who appear in this Nominal Roll and were diagnosed with malaria shortly after returning home, namely: William Charles Boar [b1877], George William Cook [b1897], Ernest George Deeks [b1883], Jack Eady [b1892], Arthur James Mills [b1879] and James Nice [b1878].  [4] National Probate Calendar.