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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Pte. Howard Ellson
British Army 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
from:Birmingham
(d.2nd July 1916)
Howard Ellson was born 20th January 1887 in Birmingham and was killed in action on 2 July 1916 near Cuincy, Pas-de-Calais, France. Howard was married at Aston, Warwickshire in abt June 1909 to Laura Luke. Howard is the sixth child and third son of Thomas Ellson and Jane (nee Wilkinson) He appears at the age of 4 years in the census return of 1891. The family is at 134, Vaughton Street, Deritend, Birmingham. In the household is Thomas (44) as its head and a whip thong maker. Jane (39) his wife and their children. Louisa (18) a milliners apprentice; Alice (15) an umbrella maker; Jane (9); Thomas (5); Howard (4) and Warner (1)
By 1901 the family had moved to 18 Bissell Street, St Martin’s, Birmingham. Thomas (54) is still employed as a whip thong maker; Jane (49) is now listed as a shopkeeper “working on her own account from home“. (The 1889 Kelly’s Directory lists Thomas as a shopkeeper at this address) Jane (19) is a Japaneeser; Thomas (15) a tank riveter and Howard (14) a wire worker. Warner (11) is at school where he has been joined by a sister, Dora (8). Also in the household is their mother’s niece, (also) Jane Wilkinson (aged 12). Like her aunt, this Jane was born in north London. Howard married Laura Luke in abt June 1909. The couple appear on the CR of 1911 at 1/30 [one back of thirty] Highgate Street, Highgate, Birmingham. Howard (24) is a wire worker and Laura (22) the mother of a daughter, Winifred (b. 1910 in Birmingham and d. 1911 aged 1 year). Also in the household was a boarder, Matilda Harris, a tin plate worker aged 21 years. Howard and Laura had three other children, all sons. They were: William Howard, Bernard) and Leslie.
In the Great War, Howard served as a Private in the 2nd Battalion, Worcester Regiment. At the date of his enlistment, on 27 July 1915, Howard was living at Court 8, house 2 Darwin Street, Highgate, Birmingham. He was 28 years old. A brief description tells us that he was 5’ 7†tall and of fair complexion with blue eyes and light hair.
Howard Ellson is my paternal grandfather. It was in pursuit of Howard that I began this journey. I have set out his story from enlistment on 27 July 1915 to his death on 2 July 1916 in a booklet 'Somewhere Beneath a Sea of Mud' (2007). Family legend has it that Howard was killed on the opening day of the Battle on the Somme - 1 July 1916. This is supported by a memorial card which the family had printed, probably in about May 1917. It was not until 24 April 1917 that there was official confirmation from the War Office of his death. The letter read: "It is my painful duty to inform you that no further news having been received relative to (No) 24058 Pte Howard Ellson (Regiment) 2 Battn. Worcestershire Regt. who has been missing since 2-7-16, the Army Council has been regretfully constrained to conclude that he is dead, and that his death took place on the 2-7-16 (or since). I am to express to you the sympathy of the Army Council with you in your loss." It seems likely that the memorial card will have been produced shortly after receipt of this letter. The relevant part of the card reads "In loving memory of Pte Howard Ellson No 24058 2nd Worcesters Killed 1st July, 1916, at the Battle of the Somme".
Neither of these 'facts' proved to be true. He was killed on 2 July 1916 whilst serving with the 2 Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment in the area of Bethune which is some 48 kilometres (30 miles) north of Bapaume - the most northerly point of the Somme battle area. He was with 2 battalion serving in C Company. At the time of his death he was in a raiding party on enemy lines at Auchy-les-la-Bassee. His death should have been commemorated on the Loos Memorial but he is one of the thousands named on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. The record of 2 battalion gives the place of his death as Cuincy, a village midway between Bethune and La Bassee and the nearest village in British hands. Within a few days of his death the battalion had been moved, rather hurriedly south, to the Somme. It seems likely that all deaths after 1 July were attributed to that campaign. There is further confusion over his actual unit. Whilst most contemporary records place him with 2 battalion, those produced subsequently put him with 1 battalion. This includes those of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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