Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Mr J. W. Driver. A letter received by his parents from the sister in charge at 36 Casualty Clearing Station in France read as follows:- “Dear Mr Driver, I am grieved to tell you of the death from wounds of your son, Private E. C. Driver, 14049, 7th Dragoon Guards. He was admitted to this hospital last night, suffering from wounds of the chest and left hip, he seemed fairly comfortable last night and went off to sleep, but later in the night he became very much collapsed, and though we did all we could to restore him we could not prevail, and he passed away very peacefully at 6.45am today. I was talking to him soon after his admission yesterday, and asked whether he would like me to send a line to his home just to let you know about his being wounded, for I quite expected him to do well at the time. He thanked me and said. ‘Send my love.’ He will be buried by the chaplain in the Military Cemetery attached to this camp. Believe me to be, with most sincere sympathy, yours very truly. M. E. Vernon-Harcourt, sister in charge, 36 Casualty Clearing Station, B.E.F.”

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Emer came from a large family of eleven children, his father being William a platelayer on the railway. On leaving school he became a bricklayer’s labourer. In August 1914, swept up by the excitement of the possibility of military adventure, Emer like many another Hallaton lad, flocked to the colours. He was attested into 7th Dragoon Guards with service number 14049. The regiment had been sent to France from India in September 1914 and was effectively used as a dismounted infantry unit – no doubt much to their disgust. Meanwhile Emer had undergone his basic and his cavalry training back in England. However it was to be over a year before he was included in a draft of 100 men and two officers who arrived in France on 18th October 1915 and joined their regiment on 25th October at Cerisy. He was involved in further cavalry training with sword and lance and also a ceremonial “gallop” past HM the King. That winter was very cold and wet and the occasional hot bath and clean underwear would have come as a great relief. On 1st July 1916 began the Somme Offensive with 60,000 British casualties on the first day. For two weeks the Regiment was on three hour standby, acting again as reserve cavalry to be brought into play as required. For the 7th Dragoon Guards the call to action came on the 13th July along with 20th Deccan Horse. The Regiment was ordered to attack High Wood, General Rawlinson being under the erroneous impression that the two key villages to the front, Longueval and Bazentin had been captured. The ground was pock-marked with shell holes and old trenches and rendered slippery by the rain. It was a slaughter against German machine guns. Emer however survived. Emer had only been involved in one major action, but his luck was to be short lived. On the Sunday night 30/31st July, shrapnel from enemy artillery hit four of the men and Emer fell with wounds to the chest and hip. His wounds were bad and he was sent by horse drawn ambulance back the 13 miles to the 36 Casualty Clearing Station at Heilly. Unfortunately he died on 1st August. He is commemorated at Heilly Station Cemetery and on the Hallaton War Memorial.

Information kindly provided (including photograph) by Dennis Kenyon.