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L/Cpl. Ezekiel "Zeke" Ellis
British Army 10th Btn. Sherwood Foresters
from:Ilkeston
(d.5th July 1916)
The short story of the uncle I never knew.
My uncle, Ezekiel Ellis, was born in 1893. The only photograph we have of him is in Ilkeston Hospital with his father. In January 1912, after my grandfather had died, Ezekiel left home, at the age of 18 years and 10 months. He left without his family's agreement but kept in contact with his younger sister Cissie.
During the Great War he served with the 10th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment. My father was 2 years old when Zeke died in 1916 and never knew his elder brother. Zeke's story was mentioned to me, many years ago, by my Aunt Cissie. I was told that he was a soldier and that he was dead. I was not told what had happened to him or anything more about him, but when my aunt died she left a brooch in the shape of a miniature bayonet with Hill 60 engraved on it, together with two sweetheart badges for the Sherwood Foresters.
These finds urged us to investigate our family tree. We confirmed where Ezekiel lived from Census information and where he was born with the Register of Births and Deaths. His service record showed that he died on 5th of July 1916 a Lance Corporal who was killed in action. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission revealed that his name is shown on the Thiepval Memorial.
Interestingly, my father fought over the same ground as his brother after landing on Sword beach in WW2. He was a Sergeant in the REME and much to his later distress one of the first to enter Bergen Belson. My wife and I, received tickets to the commemorative event at the Thiepval Memorial, to mark the Centenary of the Battle of the Somme, on 1st of July 2016 and visited again on 5th of July 2016.
