HOME      FORUM      HELP      SEARCH      
News : The Surname Interests Table (SIT), the Database for Special Interests Groups (DBSIG) and Ancestral Anniversaries
are now "mobile friendlier" more here ...
Record #8894
Name :
: Ernest John DIPLOCK (1897 - 1917)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: Nov 1897

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 14 May 1917   Notes : Killed in Action
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Sussex, Ringmer
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialFrance, Tilloy
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 28 May 1909
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Corsican

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Barnardos
NotesA birth registration was found for Ernest John Diplock: Year of Registration: 1897; Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec; District: Lewes; County: Sussex, East Sussex; Volume: 2b; Page: 171.

In 1909, Ernest Diplock, 11, arrived at Quebec, Canada, in a group of 161 Barnardo children en route to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

In "Valiant Hearts of Ringmer" by Geoff Bridger: Ammonite Press, 1993, it was written about Ernest John Diplock:

"One of the younger of our parishioners to die, Ernest John Diplock was born on 4th November 1897. He was baptised at St. Mary the Virgin Church and subsequently educated at Ringmer School from 15th April 1901 until 1st February 1909 when the School Admissions Register states that he 'Left the District'. It seems that some time after that young Ernest emigrated to Canada.

Although he lived originally with Jane and Alfred Diplock at Ringmer Green in 1901, he was in fact the illegitimate son of their eldest daughter Jane.

As a Private, number 202012 (formerly 4746) Ernest saw considerable action in the fifteen months before his death on 14th May 1917. He served in the 1/1st City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) as part of the 167th Brigade in the 56th Division. The Battalion was especially involved in the Battles of the Somme. They initially attacked in the north on 1st July 1916 against the formidably fortified Gommecourt Salient where many casualties occurred. From 20th August they fought in other parts of the Somme, notably in the Battles of Ginchy, Flers-Courcelette and Morval. All of these are in the southern parts of the zone and the fighting was bitter and intense. The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, from 15th to 22nd September 1916, is particularly notable as it was the first occasion that tanks were used in action.

From the end of October 1916 until Spring 1917 the 167th Brigade occupied an area near Neuve Chapelle. It had been the scene of much fighting in 1915 and the opposing lines were very close together. The terrain was largely flat and waterlogged beside being strewn with the carnage and general debris of war. It was a vile and unhealthy place to spend a winter of intermittent fighting, not only against the Germans but also to survive against the elements.

On 9th April 1917 Private Diplock was in the thick of the successful attack against the heavily fortified village of Neuville Vitasse. This action cost the Battalion dearly in lives but Ernest was to be spared for one more month.

From 8th to 12th May 1917 the Battalion was ordered to bivouac at Tilloy for the purpose of resting and reorganising. Their peace was shattered, literally, on the 11th when four heavy 24cm naval shells dropped into the bivouac and killed fourteen of their number. The Battalion then moved up to the Wancourt Line during 12th May to relieve the Queen Victoria Rifles. The following day they took over the left sector north of the Cambrai Road from the London Scottish.

Massive shelling of their front and support lines on 14th May killed six more of their depleted numbers. Among the dead that day was Ernest Diplock. His body was never recovered, indeed it was most probably blown to pieces. He is commemorated by name on the Memorial to the Missing at Arras.

With not even a grave to visit, all his mother received to cherish in exchange for her son's young life were the British War & Victory Medals, plus of course the Memorial Plaque & Scroll." 
ContributorsCreated : 2009-07-12 20:49:09 / From original database


Last Updated : 2009-07-12 21:08:10 /

Family History ResearchersRootsChatters with family connections to Ernest John DIPLOCK:



 
Readers Comments

Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  30 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
3021 ABBOTT, Alice1899ENG,     May 1912 : Corsican CAN MacPherson Homes  
3022 ABBOTT, Bertie1894ENG, SFK, Ipswich May 1909 : Corsican CAN Barnardos sharonmx5 , patty_in_ms  
3057 ABBOTT, Harold Lancelot1895ENG, SSX, Steyning Jul 1911 : Corsican CAN Labourers & Domestics  
3059 ABBOTT, James1896IRL, MEA, Trim May 1911 : Corsican CAN Labourers & Domestics  
3155 ACTON, Laura1892ENG, WAR, Aston May 1911 : Corsican CAN Labourers & Domestics  
10055 ADDISON, Annie 1900ENG,     Apr 1911 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
3970 ADDISON, Florence1893ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1908 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
17049 AFFLECK, Adelaide Mary1897ENG, LND, Camberwell Jun 1910 : Corsican CAN Unknown Catholic Group  
25704 AFFORD, Lily1901ENG,     May 1909 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
10891 AITKEN, Donald1901ENG,     May 1909 : Corsican CAN Barnardos  
2851 ALCE, William Henry1894ENG, SSX, Seaford May 1911 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
9623 ALDRICH, Francis Vincent1900ENG, SSX, Brighton May 1910 : Corsican CAN Unknown Catholic Group  
10218 ALEXANDER, Edward Bubbings1901ENG, SSX, Rye May 1913 : Corsican CAN MacPherson Homes  
10219 ALEXANDER, Kathleen1904ENG, KEN May 1913 : Corsican CAN MacPherson Homes  
10217 ALEXANDER, Leslie1902ENG, KEN May 1913 : Corsican CAN MacPherson Homes  
8696 ALLABUSH, George1899ENG, LND, Canning Town May 1908 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
23751 ALLEN, Ada1896ENG,     May 1909 : Corsican CAN Barnardos  
8529 ALLEN, Daniel1898ENG, LDN, London Jul 1913 : Corsican CAN Catholic Emigration Association  
20448 ALLEN, Esther1895ENG,     May 1908 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
20467 ALLEN, Janette1896ENG,     May 1908 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
25649 ALLEN, John1895ENG,     May 1909 : Corsican CAN Catholic Emigration Society  
22547 ALLEN, Thomas1897ENG,     Jun 1913 : Corsican CAN Waifs & Strays  
6398 ALLEN, William1897ENG,     Jul 1910 : Corsican CAN Unknown Catholic Group  
20154 ALLEY, Clara Celia1894ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1911 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
20159 ALLEY, Emma1891ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1911 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
6312 ALLEY, Henry Herbert1896ENG, LAN, Liverpool May 1910 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
20204 ALWAY, Reginald Wilfrid1896ENG, GLS, Barton Regis May 1911 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
13127 AMBROSE, James1900ENG,     May 1909 : Corsican CAN Barnardos  
22781 ANDERSON, Jane1901ENG,     May 1913 : Corsican CAN MacPherson Homes  
20141 ANDREWS, James1896ENG,     May 1911 : Corsican CAN Louisa Birt  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  30 Entries