Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Brotherhood, a farm stockman, born 1859 in Shepshed, Leicestershire and baptised on the 10th July 1859 in St. Botolph’s Church, Shepshed and his wife Agnes Brotherhood (nee Newbold, married on the 9th February 1892 in St. Peter’s Church, Netherseal, Derbyshire), born 1867 in Highfield, Staffordshire (daughter of William Newbold). Ernest was born in the January quarter of 1894 in Leicestershire, his siblings were, Joseph, born in the January quarter of 1893 in Botany Bay, Derbyshire, Sarah Annie, born in the April quarter of 1895 in Leicestershire, Clara May, born in the July quarter of 1897 in Lullington, Derbyshire and Amelia, born in the October quarter of 1899 in Leicestershire, in March 1901 the family home was at Gutteridge’s Farm, Whitwick. In April 1911 Ernest was employed as a waggoner and was residing in the family home at White Leys Farm, James Street, Coalville, Leicestershire, together with his father, a cowman, his mother and siblings Joseph, a gardener, Amelia (Millie), a schoolgirl, Emma, a schoolgirl, born in the July quarter of 1903 and William, a schoolboy, born on the 29th March 1906, the latter two siblings were both born in Coalville. On the 2nd August 1915, Ernest married Annie Beeson in St. John the Baptist Church, Whitwick, Leicestershire, Annie was born on the 12th January 1895 in Whitwick, Ernest and Annie had a son, Joseph Albert, born on the 11th January 1916 in Whitwick, the family home was at 39, Green Lane, Whitwick.
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 Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
All that is known of Ernest’s military service is that he had enlisted/attested in Coalville into the Leicestershire Regiment, and had been allotted the service number 203459. After which he was transferred to the South Staffordshire Regiment and allotted the service number 235105. Posted as Private he joined the 1st Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment and was allocated to the 16th Platoon, “D” Company. With the exception of the War Diary entries, there is no information that relates to his movements during his military service, and as he was not awarded the 1914-15 Star, it is safe to assume that he first entered the theatre of war sometime after the 31st December 1915. It was on the 26th October 1917 that he was officially reported to be missing in action, and subsequent enquiries made through the British Red Cross and Order of St. John to establish whether he had been taken as a Prisoner of War failed to discover any further information as to his fate, and he was therefore declared to have died on or since the 26th October 1917. His body was never recovered and as a consequence he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot memorial to the Missing, Zonnebeke, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. Ernest was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal
On the 13th July 1918, Ernest’s widow was awarded a weekly Army Pension of twenty shillings and five pence for herself and her son, to commence on the 29th July 1918.
The War Diary records: 26 Oct-17 - The Battalion took part in the operations at GHELUVELT (See “Narrative of Operations, 26th October 1917”) attached.
The following casualties occurred: - Officers, 2nd Lieutenant (Acting Captain) W. H. CURRY killed in action 25/10/17. 2nd Lieutenant R. S. PULLEN killed in action 26/10/17. 2nd Lieutenant D. S. GLAZE killed in action 26.10.17. 2nd Lieutenant G. A. C. SHEFFIELD killed in action 26/10/17. 2nd Lieutenant V. HIELD killed in action 26/10/17. 2nd Lieutenant W. H. NOKES killed in action 26/10/17. 2nd Lieutenant S. H. HOULE wounded 26/10/17. 2nd Lieutenant H. E. POULTON wounded and missing 26/10/17. Other ranks, killed 38, wounded, 136, missing, 91. See letter of appreciation from Major General T. R. SHOUBRIDGE, C.M.G., D.S.O. attached.
NARRATIVE OF OPERATIONS 26th OCTOBER 1917
1. The forming up went off without incident, in spite of a very bright moon. There was a little shelling about 3.00am but only a few casualties were caused.
2. At zero the advance began. Heavy machine gun fire immediately opened up on our lines, and a medium barrage came down along the whole ridge, being somewhat severe about Battalion HQ.
3. “C” Company on the left made progress in spite of heavy casualties from machine gun fire until within about 150 yards
of BERRY – COTTS. Here very strong opposition was met with. Stick bombs were freely used by the enemy and the attack was swept by machine gun fire from BERRY – COTTS and LEWIS HOUSE. The mud had by now rendered most of the rifles and Lewis guns useless, and the Company strength was about 1 officer, and 20 other ranks. No further progress could be made and the remains of the Company lay in shell holes until an opportunity could be found by retiring to the original front line.
4. “D” Company in the centre met with very strong opposition from HAMP FARM and suffered heavy casualties from cross machine gun fire. They could make no progress after advancing about 50 yards in front of our original front line.
4. “B” Company on the right suffered less from machine gun fire than the other Companies, being protected to a certain extent by lie of the ground. In consequence, they were able to make a determined attack on their objective THE MOUND, which is a more important feature in the ground than would be imagined from the map. THE MOUND was strongly held by the enemy, and heavy fighting ensued. After a prolonged and desperate struggle, during which both officers and all the senior NCOs were killed or wounded, “B” Company now under the command of a Corporal carried their objective. The enemy retired, leaving many dead and a heavy machine gun behind them. The position was consolidated, and messages sent back for reinforcements. Unfortunately, all the runners sent back became casualties, and no message reached Battalion Headquarters. During the afternoon our artillery persistently shelled this position, and owing to their isolation the remnants of “B” Company were compelled to fall back at dusk. The captured machine gun was destroyed before the position was evacuated.
5. By dusk, what was left of the Battalion was back on the original front line and was reorganised as far as possible.
6. The Battalion was relieved by 11.00pm by the 20th Battalion MANCHESTER REGIMENT. The relief passed off quietly.
(Signed) A. B. Beauman Lieutenant Colonel Commanding 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regt. 31/10/17
COPY OF LETTER FROM MAJOR GENERAL T. R. SHOUBRIDGE C.M.G., D.S.O., COMMANDING 7th DIVISION
Dear Beauman,
I have just seen the Army Commander. Though he regrets we did not get our objective as much as we do ourselves, he fully realises that officers and men did all that was humanly possible in the face of great difficulties.
He also told me that the enemy had a railway reserve between MENIN and PASSCHENDAELE intending to employ it at the most threatened point. Our attack showed such determination that he retained all reserves opposite us. This helped the Canadians materially to gain and hold their objectives. Therefore, we did not fight in vain.
The 7th Division has taken hard knocks before, but it never loses its splendid spirit, and yesterdays battles will only be incentive to get our own back on the next opportunity.
Will you convey the contents of this letter to all officers, NCO’s and men, and also tell them how proud I am of the way in which they went forward under the worst conditions of mud and fire and would not give in until they died or stuck in the mud. No soldiers can do more.
Yours Sincerely
(Signed) Herbert Shoubridge

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday September 20th, 1918

LOCAL CASUALITES

Having been reported wounded and missing since October 26th last year, Pte. Ernest Brotherhood, of the South Staffs Regiment, is now presumed by the authorities to have died on that date or since, news to this effect having been forwarded to the widow, who resides with her child in Green Lane, Whitwick. Before the war, the deceased soldier worked at the Ibstock Colliery. His parents reside at Gutteridge’s Farm, Belvoir Road, Coalville.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 2/6/2018