Biography of Private Ernest Cornelius Wass (16747)
1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment
Died 29th September 1915

Soldier

  • Name: Ernest Cornelius Wass
  • Date of birth: 7th June 1897
  • Place of Birth: Toft, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: April – June 1897
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: Samuel Wass
  • DOB: 1858
  • Place of Birth: Toft, Lincolnshire, England
  • Occupation: Labourer (farmer)

Mother

  • Name: Emma Hodgkin
  • DOB: 1861
  • Place Of Birth: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
  • Marriage: 1891 Bourne District

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • Arthur Hodgkin, 1890, Bourne
  • GertrudeWass, 1892, Toft
  • Hannah Wass, 1893, Manthorpe
  • Charlotte Wass, 1895, Toft (died 1898)
  • Ernest Cornelius Wass, 1897, Toft
  • Rebecca Wass, 1900, Kates Bridge

Census

  • 1901: Ernest is living with his parents at Kates Bridge, Lincolnshire.
  • 1911: Ernest is living with his parents at 1 Doctors Yard, North Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 15.

Relatives in services

Marriage

  • No marriage for Ernest has been found and because of his age we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • War Weekly Casualty List 7th October 1915
    N.C.O’s and Men
    Died of Wounds
    Northampton Regiment 1st Battalion
    Wass 16747, Private E.

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 9th October 1915
    BOURNE
    KILLED IN ACTION – News has this week been received that Pte. E. Wass has been killed in action in France.  He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Wass, North Street, and joining the Northants Regiment at the outbreak of the war, had been on active service since last spring.  Deceased was 19 years of age.

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 16th October 1915
    BOURNE
    MEMORIAL SERVICE. – On Sunday evening, a memorial service for Pte. E. C. Wass, whose death we reported in last week’s issue, was held in the Congregational Church.   Up to the time of his leaving Bourne, deceased was a scholar in the Congregational School, and as such was one of the recipients of a parcel of chocolates and cigarettes from the Sunday School anniversary in July.  The service, which was held at the request of the deceased’s parents, was conducted by the Rev. J. Comyn Jones (pastor), and was attended by the members of the family, which included Pre. Orrey, brother-in-law of deceased, who was home for a few days leave.  A similar service was held at the Parish Church, conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. H. Cotton Smith.

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • None found

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • These records show that Privte Ernest Cornelius Wass, 16747, 1st Bn Northamptonshire Regiment was killed in action on 29th September 1915 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

Pension Records

  • Available

Effects Left To

  • Mother Emma

Medals

  • The British Medal
  • The Victory Medal
  • The 15 Star

Memorials

  • UK:
  • Bourne, Roll of Honour in Bourne Abbey Church
  • Bourne War Memorial in the Memorial Gardens

 

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

  • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
  • British Newspaper Archive.
  • Fold 3
  • Find My Past
  • Genealogist
  • Forces War Records
  • British Army Service Numbers
  • War Gratuity Calculator
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
  • General Registry Office