Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Porter, a frame work knitter, born 1851 in Sileby, Leicestershire., and his wife Mary Porter (nee Holland, married in the 1st quarter of 1870 in the Loughborough, Leicestershire district) , born 1852 in Sileby. Ernest was born in the 4th quarter of 1889 in Sileby, his siblings were, Job, a general labourer, born 1871, Thomas, a shoe riveter, born 1873, John, a shoe riveter, born 1874, Harry, a shoe riveter, born 1876, William, a schoolboy, born 1880, Rachel Elizabeth, a schoolgirl, born 1883, Mary Hannah, a schoolgirl, born 1885, Clara, born 1888 and Jesse Alfred, born 1891, all his siblings were born in Sileby, in April 1891 the family home was at Brook Street, Sileby. In March 1901 Ernest was residing in the family home at Brook Street, Sileby, together with his father, a glove maker, his mother and siblings, Harry, a shoe riveter, Rachel, a Griswold knitter, Mary, a Griswold knitter, Clara, Isabella, born 1892 and Harriet Ada, born 1893, the latter two siblings were both born in Sileby. In April 1911 Ernest was employed as a shoe finisher and was residing in the family home at Cossington Road, Sileby, together with his father a glove framework knitter, his mother and siblings, Clara, a Griswold knitter, Isabella a domestic nurse and Ada, a shoe machinist. In the 3rd quarter of 1912 Ernest married Martha Freer, in the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire, marriage registration district. They had two children, Lois V., born 1913 and Ernest R., born 1914, both children were born in Sileby.
The War Diary records: 6 Mar-15 - At 10:30am report from ESSEX REGT orderly room of two casualties 1 officer and 1 man killed in “C” Company. At 5:30pm “B” and “D” Companies paraded and marched to first line trenches relieving “A” and “C” Companies respectively. “A” and “C” Companies each 1 wounded. In the first 24 hours in the trenches each man was placed between two regular soldiers to learn the routine and become accustomed to conditions of trench warfare. Platoon commanders and Sergeants placed with corresponding regular N.C.O.’s and officers. The Commanding Officer, Adjutant and 2nd in Command visited the HQ’s of the ESSEX REGT and their trenches on successive nights.
On Friday March 19th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT NEWS.” – SILEBY. – ROLL OF HONOUR. – We regret to record the loss of still another Sileby victim in the 5th Leicester’s, viz., Mr. Ernest Porter, who was killed in action last week in France. This makes the heavy death roll of 11 for a village the size of Sileby.
On Saturday March 20th 1915 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LOCAL CASUALTIES. Information has been received at Sileby that Pte. E. Porter, of the 5th Territorial Battalion, Leicestershire Regt., has recently been killed in action, a bullet passing through his throat. Private Porter was well known among Loughborough and District League footballers, he having played at outside left, first for Sileby Red Cross, and later for Sileby Victoria and Mountsorrel United.