Ernest William Hewland MC, Captain 15/17th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, previously Private Army Service Corps
Ernest William was born in Scarborough on 18th October 1893. His parents were John Hewland (1863-1929), a Telegraph Clerk, and Sarah Ann Greenacre (1865-1955). He had three siblings, Florence (1890-1975), Clarence (1892-1979) and John (Jack) (1903-1982). In 1901 Ernest was living at 25 Trafalgar Street, Scarborough with his parents, sister Florence and brother Clarence. By 1911 the family had moved to 33 Garfield Road and were joined by the youngest child, John. Florence was a Telephonist, Clarence a Draper’s Apprentice and Ernest an Accountant’s Clerk, while John was at school. Ernest was educated at Gladstone Road School and at St Martin’s Grammar School, both in Scarborough. His height was 5’ 9½ when he joined the Army.
He was in the Territorial Army Service Corps (ASC) before the war and mobilised on 23rd December 1914 in the ASC at Pocklington, Yorkshire as S4/040080 Private Hewland. He remained on home service until 26th March 1916 and joined the Expeditionary Force in France the following day. He was posted to No.454 Company, 46th Divisional Train ASC. It was more than a year before he returned to the UK, in April 1917, having been identified as a potential officer. During his time on the Western Front he served as an Issuer Clerk in the 28th Reserve Park, BHTD Harve, the 47th Sikh Indian Division, in addition to the 46th Divisional Train ASC. He was reported as being intelligent, reliable and his sobriety was good. On 30th April 1917, while doing his pre-officer training with A Company ASC at Southport, he was awarded a Bounty of £15.00 and received £5.00 immediately and the remaining £10, with 5% interest, on his discharge.
He commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the West Yorkshire Regiment on 30th October 1917, after successfully completing his officer training at the 7th Officer Training Battalion at Kilworth, Fermoy. He joined the 15/17th Battalion with five other junior officers on 13th January 1918 (his only entry in the Battalion war diary) and during 1918 was gassed on three separate occasions, from which ‘he has suffered off and on from a cough’. During 1918 he also had influenza and spent a week in hospital. He went home to England on leave in October and also spent a week on leave in Paris in November 1918, a week after the Armistice. The 15/17th Battalion disbanded in early 1919 and on 26th March 1919 Ernest was posted to 204 POW Company as Officer Commanding. In late 1919 he was invalided home and admitted to Q A M [Queen Alexandra Military] Hospital ‘when two small corneal ulcers were found to exit [sic] on right cornea’. The hospital had opened in 1905 and closed as a military hospital in 1977.
Although we know little of Ernest’s wartime experience with the 15/17th Battalion it must have been significant as he was awarded the Military Cross (MC) in late 1918, which was published in the New Year Honours London Gazette on 1st January 1919. Sadly there is no citation so it was probably awarded for distinguished service rather than gallantry during the final year of the war. The award was also announced in the Yorkshire Post. There is one reference on his file that reads: ‘The date in which he ceased to comd a Coy in the 16th Bn W Yorks R has not been reported to this office’. However, all other documents refer to the 15/17th Battalion. He was demobilised on 1st January 1920 and relinquished his commission on 27th January, then joined the Regular Reserve of Officers (RORO). His home address was given 33 Garfield Road, Scarborough. For his service, and to add to his MC, he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal which were sent to him at 205/7 Freeman Street, Grimsby.
In 1921 Ernest was employed as Secretary, United Brickworks Company at Scarborough. He was living with his parents John and Sarah Ann and his sister Florence and brother John at 33 Garfield Road, Scarborough. Florence was still a Telephonist with the GPO (General Post Office) Scarborough and John a Draper’s Apprentice at W Rowntree & Son Drapers Company Scarborough. His father was out of work but had been a Timekeeper at the United Brickworks Company, Scarborough. Also staying at the residence were a servant and three visitors.
Ernest married Agnes Boyes at the Jubilee Primitive Methodist Chapel in Scarborough on 14th June 1922. She was Mayoress of Scarborough for her father, Councillor William Boyes. Although Ernest married after the war he wore his uniform and gave his employer as 15th Battalion (Leeds Pals) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment. Their children were Ernest Brian (1923-2002), Lorna (1928-1971), David W (1931-2009) and Malcolm Guy (1937-2000).
In 1936, when living at 41 Algernon Street, Great Grimsby, Lincolnshire, he wrote to the War Office enquiring why he had ‘received no financial consideration of any kind’ although he had been ‘in the RARO since the termination of the Great War’. They promptly replied that he was not entitled to pay unless he was ‘recalled to Army service at home or abroad at a time of national emergency’. They also took the opportunity to that remind him that ‘he had failed to report [himself] in writing in accordance with Appendix II, paragraph 7, of the Royal Warrant’.
At the time of the 1939 Census Ernest was a Wool Dealer (Manager) and living with Agnes at 41 Algemon Road, Grimsby. He was listed on the 1939 Register as RARO Captain, although it is not clear whether he was called up for service during the Second World War.
He died in Scunthorpe in late 1979 and was pre-deceased by his daughter Lorna who died in 1971.
Sources:
The National Archives – Officer and Other Rank Service Record,
Ancestry – Birth, Marriage and Death Records, Censuses and Medal Rolls
Findmypast – 1921 Census
London Gazette – Appointment and MC Award
Yorkshire Post – MC Award
London Daily Chronicle and Hull Daily Mail – Wedding announcement
Researcher: David J Owen
Please Note:
- All opinions and inferences are the researcher’s own.
- Please refer to our Glossary of Terms for further information on the terms and phrases used in this post