Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John William Briers and his wife Elizabeth Briers (nee Bonser, married on the 22nd December 1892 in St. Peter’s Church, Leicester). He was the adopted by William Ball a Constitutional Club steward, born 1853 in Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire and his wife Elizabeth Ball, born 1855 in Swannington, Leicestershire. Ernest Cyril was born in the 4th quarter of 1893 in Leicester and was baptised on the 24th December 1893 in the Parish Church, Evington, Leicester, his step siblings were Ellen Sarah born in the 3rd quarter of 1877 in Coalville, Leicestershire, Matilda Maud, born in the 1st quarter of 1881 and Alice, born in the 1st quarter of 1883, the latter two step siblings were both born in Alfreton, Derbyshire, in March 1901 the family home was at The Constitutional Club, High Street, Coalville. In April 1911 Ernest was employed as a bricklayer’s labourer and was residing at Leicester Road, Ibstock, Leicestershire, this being the family home of his uncle, Benjamin Baxter, born 1872 in Ravenstone, Leicestershire, also residing in the family home was his cousin Leonard Baxter, born 1902 in Church Gresley, Derbyshire.
Little can be discovered as to the reason for Ernest’s adoption, he was born in Leicester in late 1893, and was baptised in Evington soon after his birth, his parents being recorded in the baptism register, after which it appears that during the period between his baptism in December 1893 and the March 1901 census, he was adopted by William and Elizabeth Ball.
The Brigade of Guards service records all exist, but were deposited in 2018 with the Ministry of Defence in Glasgow, the exception being the Scots Guards, whose service records are now in the possession of the Trustees of the Scots Guards Charitable Trust, and are free to access. The remainder of the Foot Guards records are available at the current cost of £30.00 per inquiry (2019).
As a consequence, all that is known of Ernest’s military service is taken from the few documents that are currently available in the public domain. He enlisted into the Brigade of Guards on the 11th November 1914, and upon the completion of his training was posted from the Guards Depot as a Private to the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, and was allotted the service number 13636, it was this unit that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 8th June 1915. He was killed in action on the 29th July 1915. He was awarded the 1914-15 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 29 Jul-15 – TRENCHES SOUTH OF BETHUNE – LA BASSEE ROAD. Sir HENRY RAWLINSON and the Brigadier came round the trenches at 6.00am.
The enemy shelled our trenches heavily from 7.00am to 2.00pm. A fairly quiet night. 1 Other Rank killed. 7 Other Ranks wounded.
On Wednesday, August, 18th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – THE ROLL OF HONOUR. – The relatives of Pte. CYRIL ERNEST BRIERS, 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, have received official notification that he has been killed in action in Belgium. He was only 21 years of age. He enlisted in September, and only left England six weeks ago, being killed in his second spell of duty in the trenches. His home was at 43, Paget-road, Leicester.
On Wednesday, October 27th,1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTER’S KILLED IN ACTION.” – (A photograph accompanied the article) – Pte. C. E. BRIERS, 1st Coldstream Guards, aged 21, home, 43, Paget-road.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday September 3rd, 1915

Ibstock Soldier Killed

We regret to announce that Cyril Ernest Baxter, one of the recruits who responded to the call made at the Coalville Olympia meeting last November, was killed in action on July 29th last. He was a strong well-built young man standing 6ft in height and had joined the First Coldstream Guards. As an orphan boy he lived for some years with Mr Ball who kept the Conservative Club at Coalville, and later with his uncle, Mr B. Baxter, of Ibstock. He was 21 years of age and at the time of enlistment was working at the Ibstock Collieries.

Coalville Times article - Friday September 10th, 1915

We have received the following letter:

“Dear Sir, - Will you kindly allow us through the medium of your paper to convey our heart-felt sympathy to the relations and friends of our late comrade, Pte. Cyril. E. Briers, late of Ibstock, whose photo appeared in your issue of September 3rd. Although it was published in the name of C. E. Baxter, as soon as I received the paper from home I showed it round my platoon and they all at once recognised him as our late comrade who fell in action on July 29th last, at a place in the north of France. Having had the pleasure of working with him in civil life, I can truthfully say that he was a good workman with a pleasant word for everybody that he came in conversation with, and always willing to do anything that he could to benefit others. As to him as a soldier, standing as your paper states, a full 6 ft in height, and of fine physique, he was every inch a Guardsman, although his career as to trench work was very short. It was only his second experience at it when he met his death. He had every sign of making a good soldier.

I might here state for the benefit of relatives and friends that his death was almost instantaneous as he was struck by a grenade while he was having his breakfast and did not suffer any pain as he was unconscious the whole time and was buried in a cemetery has been made by the English troops not far from where he fell. I should have liked to have written these few lines to his relations, but through the absence of their address I cannot do so myself, but I expect that they have received a letter from the Regimental Headquarters, and with my comrades’ consent, as they knew we both came from the same district, I have been asked to write these few lines to the local newspaper as we knew that it was the best way to convey our sympathy to the relations of such a good comrade whom I can assure you we all are sorry to have lost.”

Thanking you for an early insertion if possible.

Yours sincerely

5269 G. Jones, Corporal
No. 1 Company, 1st Battalion
Coldstream Guards
British Expeditionary Force

The letter is also signed by two of the same battalion

P. O. R. Bindle, Private
P. E. W. Martin, Private

September 9th, 1915

Coalville Times article - Friday November 5th, 1915

A memorial service was held at Ibstock Parish Church on Sunday last in connection with Pte. Cyril Briers of the Coldstream Guards and Pte. Victor Dolman, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers who were killed in action. The bugle band of the Church Lads’ Brigade attended and played the “Last Post.” The Rev. S. Flood conducted the service.

Coalville Times article - Friday July 28th, 1916

IN MEMORIAM

In loving memory of Cyril Ernest Briers, late 1st Coldstream Guards, killed in action, July 29th, 1915.
“Faithful unto Death”
From his Aunt, Uncle and Cousins.

Coalville Times article - Friday July 27th, 1917

IN MEMORIAM

In loving memory of Ernest Cyril Briers, 1st Coldstream Guards, killed in action July 29th, 1915.

“Duty, Nobly Done”

From Aunt, Uncle and Cousins

Coalville Times article - Friday July 26th, 1918

IN MEMORIAM

In Loving Memory of Cyril Ernest Briers, of the first Coldstream Guards, killed in action, July 29th, 1915.

“Ye honoured mighty dead,
Who nobly perished in the glorious cause
Your King, your country, and her laws.”

Coalville Times article - Friday 30th July, 1920

IN MEMORIAM

Briers – In loving memory of Cyril Ernest Briers, 1st Coldstream Guards, killed in action July 29th, 1915.

“The souls of the righteous are in the Hands of God.”

From Aunt, Uncle and Cousins.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 10/09/2017