Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Henry Foulds, a gardener, born in the January quarter of 1866 in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire (son of Edwin Otho Foulds, 1836-1889 and Mary Kelham Hewerdine, 1841-1887) and his wife Beatrice Foulds (nee Hardy, married on the 25th December 1888 in All Saint’s Church, Seagrave, Leicestershire), born on the 13th May 1866 in Seagrave and baptised on the 2nd September 1866 in All Saint’s Church, Seagrave (daughter of John Hardy, 1820-1894 and Sarah Wild, 1831-1919). Ernest was born in in the April quarter of 1891 in Mountsorrel and baptised on the 29th September 1895 in St. Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel, his siblings were, William Henry, born on the 8th December 1893 and baptised on the 29th September 1895 in St. Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel, Ethel Beatrice, born on the 11th January 1897 and baptised on the 21st March 1897 in St. Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel, Arthur Bertram, born on the 17th September 1898 and baptised on the 21st May 1899 in St. Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel and Edward Otho, born on the 18th January 1901, all his siblings were born in Mountsorrel, in March 1901 the family home was at Watling Street, Mountsorrel. In July 1910, Ernest’s father sadly took his own life, aged, 44. In April 1911 Ernest was employed as a boot trade laster and was residing in the family home at Sileby Road, Mountsorrel, together with his widowed mother and siblings, William, a boot trade finisher, Ethel, a boot trade machinist, Arthur, Edward, George Herbert, born on the 3rd January 1903, John Thomas, born on the 15th March 1905 and Florence Alice, born in the January quarter of 1909, the latter three siblings were all born in Mountsorrel.
Ernest’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Mountsorrel, date not known.
Joined. At Leicester, date not known.
Posted. To Leicestershire Regiment. Private. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 2203.
Posted. To 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment (Territorial Force). Private. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war with the 1/5th Battalion in Le Havre, France on the 28th February 1915.
Promoted. To Lance Corporal. Date not known.
Promoted. To Corporal. Date not known.
Promoted. To Sergeant. Date not known.
Awarded. Military Medal for Gallantry. Date not known.
Under the Army Council Instruction of 1917 that promulgated a new numbering system for all Territorial Force units, he was allotted the service number 240447.
Accidentally gassed. 21st June 1917.
Died. In the 7th Casualty Clearing Station, France, gas poisoning. 21st June 1917.
Buried in Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery, France.
Awarded the Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Ernest nominated his mother, Beatrice as his sole legatee.
On the 19th December 1917, Ernest’s mother Beatrice, was awarded a weekly Army Pension of six shillings, to commence on the 1st January 1918.
The War Diary records: 21 Jun-17 - RED MILL. Accidental gassing of “C” Company by ROYAL ENGINEERS, cylinders of gas fell in our line. Casualties 3 officers and 91 other ranks of whom 22 died.
The following is an account of the accident that befell the 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment taken from the book “THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE” by Captain J. D. Hills, M.C., Croix de Guerre.
At dusk on the 21st we received a message, and at once warned all ranks, the Special Brigade R.E. were going to carry out a gas bombardment on the mine buildings of Fosse 3. Projectors would be fired by a Company operating with the Canadian Corps, from whose front the buildings could be best attacked. The wind was satisfactory, and the buildings were at least 150 yards away from our nearest trenches, so there seemed no need of any special precautions. “C” Company, occupying Boot and Brick trenches, heard the familiar explosion as the projectors went off, and waited to hear them fall in the buildings. Instead, they fell in our trenches, several hundred of them; in a few seconds, and before any warning could be shouted, the trenches were full of phosgene, the deadliest of all gasses. Officers and men working hard to rouse those resting, and, in particular, 2nd Lieut. Banwell taking no heed for his own safety, went everywhere, rousing, rescuing and helping the badly gassed. But it was too late, and all through the night and next morning casualties were being carried out to Lievin and down the line. 2nd Lieut’s. Cragg and Macbeth both went to England, and, almost the last to leave the slag heap, 2nd Lieut. Banwell. His great strength had enabled him to survive longer than the others, but no constitution could stand all that phosgene, and during the morning he suddenly fainted, and had to be carried down. By the time he reached Lievin he was almost dead, and the Doctors held out no hope of his recovery. However, fed on oxygen and champagne he lasted a week, and then, to everybody’s surprise, began to recover. The greatest surprise of all was when this marvellous man refused to go to England, but preferred to remain in Hospital in France until fit enough to re-join his own Battalion. With the exception of Capt. Moore, who was fortunately on leave at the time, “C” Company was wiped out and temporarily ceased to exist. Twenty-four died from the poison, and in all sixty-two others of the Company went to Hospital. Most of these found their way to England, though one or two, such as Serjt. Needham and L/Cpl. Tookey, both fighting men, preferred to remain and return to us. “D” Company also had their losses, and Serjeant Sullivan and nine others were gassed, ten others wounded. The rest of the Battalion escaped untouched. The following night the 8th Sherwood Foresters came into the line, and we went back to Marqueffles Farm.
On Saturday June 30th 1917, The Leicester Mail published the following article under the heading. “DEATH OF MOUNTSORREL MEN.” – Sergt. E. Foulds (24), M.M., of the Leicester’s, has died on service from the effects of gas poisoning. His widowed mother lives in Water Lane, Mountsorrel. Pte. Wilfred Baum, of the Leicester’s, has died from gas poisoning. His parents, of Granite Cottage, Mountsorrel, have lost both their sons on the war.