HEADSTONE AT LAST FOR A FORGOTTEN SOLDIER OF THE GREAT WAR

The grave of a Cleckheaton soldier, Ernest Gould who died in the Great War has only just been located and a headstone has been erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The graveyard at St Michael’s Church in East Ardsley was the setting for a commemoration service on Tuesday 1 May 2018, exactly 101 years to the day since he succumbed to wounds received during his war service. The commemoration was performed by the Vicar of St Michael’s, the Reverend Glenn Coggins in the presence of The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Jane Dowson with the Standards of The Royal British Legion, East and West Ardsley and Spenborough Branches in attendance.

It has taken hours of research over many years, but now the story can be told. On the Cleckheaton War Memorial are inscribed the names of 508 men and one woman from Spenborough, who lost their lives in the Great War of 1914 to 1918.

Charlie Turpin of The Spenborough Branch of The Royal British Legion spent 25 years researching every name, but nothing could be found about one name, that of Ernest Gould. Local newspapers could normally be relied upon for casualty reports, but he was not listed and even the Commonwealth War Graves Commission had no records.

A few years ago, The National Archives released the few surviving WW1 records and former Royal Marine Commando Ady Lowe found the records of the man who we now know to be Private 11651 Ernest Gould of The Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

Born around 1895 he is recorded as being in a workhouse in London with two siblings, all probably orphans. Later in 1911 age 16, he was working as a coal miner lodging with a family in Tanner Street, Hightown, Cleckheaton. Enlisting in the KOYLI (King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry) in 1914 aged 20, he embarked for France on 25 May 1915.

He fought in the battles around Ypres in Belgium before moving on to the Somme in early 1916. After being gassed on 8 September 1916 he was evacuated to England within a few days. Being deemed unfit for further service due to the effects of TB and gas on his lungs, he was admitted to the Cardigan TB Hospital, East Ardsley where he died on 1 May 1917.

Researching his church records, Reverend Coggins of St Michael’s in East Ardsley found the name of Ernest Gould in a public grave with four others buried on 3 May 1917. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission was contacted and asked to erect a headstone and record his name in their records. They accepted that Ernest was buried there, but as no specific plot could be found, they decided to commemorate him on the Memorial in London, which lists those dying at home for whom the location of the actual grave is uncertain.

Reverend Coggins got in touch again in August 2014, to say that the Local History Group had located records to show the public grave where Ernest was buried. With this information, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission agreed to erect a military headstone on his grave.

Ernest Gould was awarded three Great War medals for his service, but sadly, these went unclaimed. At least his story can now be told and his grave suitably marked.

The headstone was dedicated by Reverend Coggins and wreaths were laid by East and West Ardsley and Spenborough Branches of The Royal British Legion, The Lord Mayor of Leeds Councillor Jane Dowson , local Councillor Lisa Mulherin for the village of East Ardsley and schoolchildren from East Ardsley School placed crosses.

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