Private. 11th Battalion Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment). Service number 270240.
Previously 5/6th. Royal Scots.
Early life:
Ernest was born in Oakworth in 1881, registered at Keighley in the first quarter of the year. His parents were William H. Byram and Mary Byram.
He was just three months old in the 1881 census and living at Brook Row in Oakworth with his parents, one sister, two brothers and two aunts. William was a gas fitter.
In 1891 Ernest was ten years old, at school, and living at 35, Brook Row, Oakworth with his mother, a sister and a brother.
By 1901 he was twenty years old and living at Dockroyd with his widowed mother and one brother. He was employed as a wool sorter. On September 9, 1905 he married Mary Ann Elliott, registered in Keighley in the third quarter of the year. Ernest would have been 25 years, and Mary 24 years of age. They had two children, Harry, born June 12, 1906; Luke, born December 30, 1909. In 1910, he was renting 31, Nashville Terrace from Harrison Foster of Bingley.
They were still living there in the 1911 census with their sons, Harry aged 4 and Luke aged 1 year. Ernest was thirty years old and a still a wool sorter. Two more children were born to Ernest and Mary. Gladys was born on September 19, 1912; and Kathleen, born May 8, 1916.
War service:
Ernest had attested for the Royal Scots on December 4, 1915 but was sent home to wait for his call up. They had moved to 7, Gladstone Street in Bingley when Ernest enlisted with the 2/4th Royal Scots on October 21, 1916.
They had four children by this time, Harry, Luke, Gladys and Kathleen.
Ernest served in this country until June 8, 1917 when he embarked with the British Expeditionary Force from Folkestone and landed in Boulogne the next day. He transferred to the 5/6th Battalion Royal Sots on June 22 and was posted to the 11th Battalion Royal Scots on the same date. Ernest was killed in action on September 16, 1917. He was buried in grave 22, row E, plot 1 of Ypres Reservoir Cemetery with ten others who were killed on the same day.
WO-95/1773/1. War diary, 11th Battalion Royal Scots for September 1917:
12th:
At COURCELLES-LE-COMTE.
Battalion left at 10.30 am, marched to BAPAUME and entrained at 1.45 pm for the WATOU area. “B” Company going on in advance at 11.30 pm to the detraining station PROVEN to unload all trains arriving there during the move.
13th:
POPERINGHE.
Trains arrived PROVEN about 5 am. Battalion then marched via WATOU to CLYDE CAMP, outside POPERINGHE. Lt. Colonel W.D. Croft D.S.O. Commanding Officer, appointed Temporary Brigadier General to command 182nd Infantry Brigade. Battalion now in V Corps, Fifth Army.
14th:
The Battalion moved to RED ROSE CAMP, BRANDHOEK. Remainder of day spent cleaning up camp. Major Campbell Bt. DSO., took command of the Battalion as Lt Colonel Croft took command of 182 Brigade.
15th:
Training under company arrangements. S.A.A. (Small Arms and Ammunition) inspection. Gas Drill. Shaking out, reorganising.
16th:
The battalion moved into the line tonight – by train as far as the ASYLUM, YPRES where ‘B’ Coy suffered 53 casualties by a 5.9″ shell. The front held by this unit was as follows: ‘C’ Coy in post line running N. from J2.c.5.5. to SANSOUCI (inclusive.) ‘B’ Coy at LAKE FARM I.12.b.5.9/ and A & D
Companies in Railway Wood dugout along with the Bn HQ. The forward Bn HQ was under Major A. C. Campbell in Kit + Kat J.1.d.3.6.
RAILWAY WOOD J.11.b.5.4. Lt. Colonel J.B.S. Campbell Bt. D.S.O., took command of the brigade front.
Note:
Although the battalion was not involved in any specific attack at this time we know they were under active shell fire, as Ypres was constantly under fire from enemy guns.
We assume that Ernest was one of the 53 casualties hit by the 5.9 shell mentioned above, which occurred at the Asylum, which was very close to the railway station in the West of Ypres. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records thirteen men from this Battalion were killed in action on this date, including Ernest.
Details:
Private William Johnston is buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery, which is three miles East of the town and much closer to the front lines, indicating he was not involved in the shell explosion.
Sergeant John George Florence is buried at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery which is three miles to the West of Ypres, suggesting he had been wounded and evacuated, and died at one of the Field Ambulance units which were using this cemetery for burials.
Private Neil Fisher has no known grave and he is named on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
The other ten men were buried in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, suggesting that they all died in the same incident whilst still very close to Ypres and their bodies were removed and interred together at that time. They are all buried in Plot I, Row E.
Keighley News October 6, 1917, page 3:
OAKWORTH.
Private E. Byram, Royal Scots, formerly of Oakworth, has been killed in action. He enlisted in October, 1916, and had been in France about three months. Prior to enlistment he was employed as a wool sorter by a Bradford firm. A chaplain in his regiment, writing to his wife, says: “May God
comfort you in your bereavement, and sustain you by the thought that he did not die in vain, that he, like the Saviour, laid down his life that others might live.” Private Byram leaves a widow and four children.
Remembrance:
He is remembered on his CWGC headstone, which is grave number 22 of row E in plot I of Ypres Reservoir Cemetery in Belgium and the family inscription on his headstone reads: ‘HE DIED THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE.’
Locally he is remembered on the Oakworth War Memorial in Holden Park, Oakworth, and on the Oakworth Wesleyan roll of honour in Oakworth Methodist Church.
Post war:
Ernest was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service. These would have been sent to Mary in 1920/21. She also received his personal effects which were a letter, note book, disc, pipe, nail clippers, pouch, knife, puzzle, watch, keys and handkerchiefs.
Mary was the sole legatee in his will and received a payment of £2 3s 1d from his outstanding Army pay account on 9th March 1918 and a £3 war gratuity payment on 11th of November 1919.
She applied for an Army Pension and seems to have been awarded one on 8th April 1918, for 13 shillings and 9 pence per week with a further 15 shillings for their four children. Another pension card states she was declared ineligible on 29th March 1920. She did receive a Dependant’s Pension for their four children of 28 shillings and 9 pence per week, beginning on 8th April 1918. These payments were made until each child reached their 16th birthday.
Mary was living at 10, Smith Street in Cottingley after the war. In the 1921 census she was aged 39 and living at 7, Gladstone Street in Bingley. Their four children were living at home with her in the 1921 census and they were Harry aged 15, Luke Colin aged 11, Gladys aged 8 and Kathleen aged 5. All were attending school whole time.
In the 1939 register Mary Ann was living alone at 21, Ash Grove in Bingley and would have been aged 57 at the time.
She was still living at Ash Grove when she died on 18th January 1953 at Bingley Hospital. Her probate record shows she left £272 9s 2d to her son Colin Luke Byram, electrical foreman.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
1881 England Census.
1891 England Census.
1901 England Census.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915.
West Yorkshire, England, Tax Valuation, 1910.
1911 England Census.
British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
WO-95/1773. War diary 11th Battalion Royal Scots.
Imperial War Museum.
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
Oakworth war memorial.
Oakworth Wesleyan roll of honour in Oakworth Methodist Church.
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923.
1921 England Census.
1939 England and Wales Register.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995.
11th Battalion Royal Scots, deaths on 16th September 1917:
Tyne Cot Memorial:
Private Neil Fisher. Service Number: 273086. 30 years old. Memorial panel 11 to 14.
Hooge Crater Cemetery:
Private William Johnston. Service Number: 43938. 18 years old. Plot II. Row DD. Grave 7.
Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery:
Sergeant John George Florence. Service Number: 27991. 21 years old. Plot IX. Row G. Grave 10.
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery:
Private H. Munro. Service Number: 43943. Plot I. Row E. Grave 19.
Private G. Ireland. Service Number: 31448. Plot I. Row E. Grave 21.
Private E. Byram. Service Number: 270240. 36 years old. Plot I. Row E. Grave 22.
Serjeant A. Wigton. Service Number: 3863. 31 years old. Plot I. Row E. Grave 25.
Private G. Thomson. Service Number: 13212. Plot I. Row E. Grave 26.
Private H. Candlish. Service Number: 43931. 39 years old. Plot I. Row E. Grave 28.
L/Cpl John Anderson Bannatyne. Service Number: 273076. 26 years old. Plot I. Row E. Grave 29.
Corporal J. Hawkins. Service Number: 22691. Plot I. Row E. Grave 30.
Lance Corporal J. Ferrie. Service Number: 33052. Plot I. Row E. Grave 31.
Serjeant W. O’Neill. Service Number: 375053. 26 years old. Plot I. Row E. Grave 32.
