LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Private Ernest Slemmonds
8 Bn Royal Fusiliers
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
Pte
Ernest Slemmonds
Royal Fusiliers
Albert
Aug 31 1917
The October 1917 issue of the Parish magazine (1) recorded the death of
Ernest Slemmonds from wounds in France on the date inscribed [on the
memorial]. We know that he left a family because the announcement extended
sympathy to Mrs. Slemmonds and her children.
The regimental records of the Royal Fusiliers (2) tell us a little more.
They attribute him to the 8th. Bn. Royal Fusiliers and give his regimental
number as 512321 and confirm his rank as a Private and the date of death
from wounds.
Though he enlisted in Leatherhead his place of birth was Petworth in
Surrey [Sussex]. He had previously served as No.5801, 30 A Bn., A.F.
However there is one slight discrepancy, the records spell his name as
SLIMMONDS.
The reference for the War Diary of the 8th. Bn. Royal Fusiliers in the
Public Record Office is W095-1857.
Notes on sources
1. Parish magazine of St Mary and St Nicholas, Leatherhead - October 1917.
2. Soldiers Who Died in the Great War (Royal Fusiliers) - Royal Fusiliers
Museum, HM Tower of London.
Further research
Private
SLEMMONDS, ERNEST
Service Number G/51321
Died 31/08/1917
Aged 32
8th Bn. Royal Fusiliers
Son of George and Johanna Slemmonds, of Petworth, Sussex; husband of
Edith Slemmonds, of Undercliffe, Croham Rd., South Croydon, Surrey.
Buried at TILLOY
BRITISH CEMETERY, TILLOY-LES-MOFFLAINES
Location: Pas de Calais, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: I. J. 18.
It is not known on what date Ernest Slemmonds suffered the
wounds from which he later died.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 22 September 1917
THE WAR
An intimation was received from
the War Office last week, that Pte. E. Slemmonds, of the Royal Fusiliers,
had succumbed to wounds in France, on August 31st. He joined up in June
1916, and went out France afterwards.
Last December he was wounded in
the foot and, after being seven months in England, went out to France
again about six weeks ago.
Pte. Slemmonds, who was for
several years employed in the gardens at Emlyn House, was well known
locally, having been a popular member of the Leatherhead Unionist Club,
and a member of the Committee of the National Deposit Society. He leaves a
widow and two children with whom much sympathy will be felt.
Surrey Advertiser
Monday 24 September 1917
Pte. E. Slemmonds, Royal
Fusiliers, is reported to have died of wounds on August 31. Deceased,
whose wife and family now live at Purley, used to reside at Leatherhead,
being at one time employed in the gardens at Emlyn House. He was a well
known member of the Unionist Club.
Leatherhead Parish Magazine
October 1917
FOR KING AND COUNTRY.
We regret to announce that
Pte. Ernest Slemmonds, Royal Fusiliers, died of wounds in France on August
31st, 1917 ; and offer our most sincere sympathy to Mrs. Slemmonds and her
children.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 29 December 1917 The
List which has been compiled from
the names that have been recorded in our Columns during the past year....
SEPTEMBER
SLEMMONDS, Pte. E., Royal Fusiliers, succumbed to wounds, Aug. 31st, of
Leatherhead.
His life
He was born 1884 Petworth, Sussex.
His father was George Slemmonds, born 19 April 1856,
Petworth, Sussex, a son of George Slemmonds (1818-1894), a Foreman of
Road Labourers, and Emma Newell (1825-1901) from Byworth, Petworth,
Sussex, a daughter of William Newell (1784-1849), an Agricultural
Labourer, and Charity Boxall (1784-1855).
His mother was Johanna Coombs, from Ireland, born about
1845. It was her second marriage, her first being to Richard Emmett on
26 Sep 1864 in Rye, Sussex. He died in Petworth on 18 December 1875.
George Slemmonds and Johanna Emmett née Coombs were
married on 2 Feb 1880 at St. Martin In The Fields, Westminster,
Middlesex.
Ernest's Emmett siblings were Mary Ann, Frederick,
Richard, William and Robert Emmett
His Slemmonds siblings were Annie, George, David and Emma.
As a child Ernest lived in the hamlet of Byworth,
Petworth, Sussex (1891 & 1901 Censuses).
Ernest lived in Leatherhead for several years when
employed in the gardens at Emlyn House. He lodged at 9 Queen Anne's
Terrace, Leatherhead, in a furnished first floor bedroom for which in
1913 he was paying 4s 6d per week to Charles Coleman at the same
address, which is where he was in the 1911 Census.
His marriage to Edith Chapman was registered at Epsom in
January 1914. She was born on 6 January 1886, Croydon, Surrey.
Their daughter Kathleen Mary was born on 31 August 1914
and baptised on October 11 1914 at Leatherhead Parish Church: their
abode was 4 Church Walk, Leatherhead.
Their son George Ernest Slemmonds was baptised at All
Saints, Kenley, Surrey on 22 October 1916, their abode given as Shord
Hill Lodge, Kenley but in the Electoral Register for 1918 as Shord Hill
Cottage.
After the war
His mother died in Petworth in March 1919. His father died in 1923.
His widow Edith had moved to Undercliffe, Croham Rd.,
South Croydon, Surrey by the time the IWGC was corresponding with her
about the inscription on Ernest's headstone. Her death was registered in
Wandsworth, London in October 1965.
Ernest is remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of
Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead
Parish Church
Surrey
in the Great War
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family
last updated 23 Nov 20