Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Bancroft a Stone Quarrier, born 1848 in Quorndon, Leicestershire and his wife Emma, born 1843 in Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire. Ernest was born in 1890 in Quorndon, Leicestershire, his siblings were, George, born 1874, John, born 1877, Kate, born 1880, Annie, born 1882 and Alice, born 1885, all his siblings were born in Quorndon, Leicestershire. In April 1891 the family home was at New Quorn, Quorndon, Leicestershire, this being situated within the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Bartholomew. In March 1901 Ernest was residing in the family home at Church Lane, Quorndon, Leicestershire together with his widowed mother and siblings, George, Kate, Annie and Alice. In April 1911 Ernest was employed as a Weaver and was residing in the family home at Church Lane, Quorn, Leicestershire together with his widowed mother and siblings, John and Annie. The War Diary for the 18th December recorded that the Battalion had entered the trenches at Wieltje taking over from 2nd Bn. Sherwood Foresters (2nd Bn. Durham Light Infantry on right at Potijze, 9th Bn. Norfolk Regiment on our left. There was a gap of 150 yards on our right between us and the Durham Light Infantry, this belonged to the 18th Infantry Brigade who were responsible for patrols) Distribution A Coy B9 (right firing line). B Coy B 10 (left firing line). C Coy (support line) S.10.A. D Coy (support line) S.9.A. 2 Platoons. D Coy Canal bank 2 Platoons. 6 Machine gun positions and 8 Bomb posts. The entry for today read as follows:- Heavy shelling all day with varying intensity, all kinds of shells being used. Our transport somehow got up and dumped rations, but was almost caught on the dump. All roads were shelled with great severity. Casualties 6 killed (shells), 7 wounded, 1 died gas poisoning, 16 suffering from gas poisoning, 5 missing still. 2nd Lt. S. C. Lawrence slightly wounded, Lt. D. V. Webb and Capt. R. H. Gillespie were also badly gassed but did not go to hospital.
Shelling continued all night 20th/21st till almost 7.00am when wind changed and went round to “SAFE”