235937 Rflmn. Ernest John Orchard British Army 3rd Btn. Rifle Brigade from:Camberwell (d.2nd August 1917) Ernest John Orchard was born on 7th September 1890 in Camberwell, Surrey. His parents were George Henry Orchard and Sarah (nee Pyke). Ernest was the eldest of three sons. His brothers were William and Edwin George, he also had three sisters - Annie, Amelia and Amy Kate. The address on the Baptism page is 23 Alma Terrace, the family were still at this address in 1891 (census). Alma Terrace was later renamed Redan Terrace. Ernest was baptised on 7th June 1891 at St James the Apostle Knatchbull Road, Lambeth.
By 1901 the family lived at 3 Gordon Grove, Lambeth and by the 1911 Census they were living at 21 Redan Terrace, Flaxman Road, Camberwell. in the 1911 Census Ernest was employed carman at a laundry. (A carman was a driver of horse drawn vehicles for transporting goods.) The nearest laundry at the time was Walton Lodge Laundry Cold Harbour Road.
In 1915 (in the Jan/Feb Mar quarter) Ernest married Charlotte Sarah Glanville in Lambeth. Their daughter Violet K was born in (in the Jan/Feb Mar quarter) 1916.
By May 1915 Ernest had volunteered for the military, and enlisted with the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), his Regimental number was S/28912 with the rank of rifleman. After completion of his training he was posted to the Western Front. The National Roll of the Great War, 1914-1918 states Ernest was killed in action at Messines on 31st July 1917, but the Register of soldiers' effects and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cite his death as 2nd August 1917. He, along with his brother, are inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
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