Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William James Meachem (Meacham), a stud groom, born on the 22nd October 1855 in Belgrave Mews, Wilton Crescent, Middlesex and his wife Martha Meachem (nee King, married in the 1st quarter of 1880 in the Kensington, Middlesex district), born in the 3rd quarter of 1852 in Mildenhall, Suffolk. Ernest Edward, born in the 1st quarter of 1895 in Thorpe Lubenham and baptised on the 6th October 1895 in the Parish Church, Lubenham, his siblings were, Albert James, born in the 2nd quarter of 1893 in Thorpe Lubenham, and baptised on the 9th April 1893 in the Parish Church, Lubenham, Alice Mabel, born on the 29th March 1887 in Brackley, Northamptonshire and baptised on the 31st July 1887 in the Church of Holy Innocents, Kingsbury, Middlesex and Minnie, born on the 7th April 1888 in Weedon, Northamptonshire in March 1901 the family home was at The Hall, Lubenham. In April 1911 Ernest was employed as a domestic gardener and was residing in the family home at The Hall, Thorpe Lubenham, together with his father, a stud groom, his mother and sister, Alice. Ernest also had two older siblings, William Henry who was born in 1881 in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland and who died in 1911 and Edith Marian who was born on the 6th March 1884 in Kingsbury, Middlesex.
Ernest’s older brother Albert died from disease on the 30th October 1918, while serving in North Russia.
NOTE: Ernest’s father was engaged in working as a stud groom for the owner and occupier of Lubenham Hall, Leicestershire, Gordon Cunard, who was a member of the famous Cunard shipping family. In the Absent Voter’s Lists for 1918, his three sons were listed as, Anthony Gordon Cunard, serving as a Lieutenant with the Royal Navy aboard HMS Hebe, Edward Cunard, serving with His Majesty’s Diplomatic Service and Victor Cunard, serving as a Lieutenant with the Reserve Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, in the same list, Albert James was listed as a Private, service number 15568, serving with the Royal Marine Light Infantry.
Ernest enlisted into the Regular Army on the 18th August 1914 in Market Harborough, and was allotted the service number 10236. He gave his place of birth as Thorpe, Market Harborough, Northamptonshire and age as 19 years 8 months, and his trade or calling as gardener.
His medical examination recorded that he was 5 feet 11½ inches in height, weighed 142 lbs, had a chest measurement of between 33½ and 36 inches, his physical development was described as good.
During his period of military service the following events of note occurred:-
Offence. Aldershot. Overstaying his pass from 12 midnight 14/2/15 until 7.00pm 15/2/15. Deprived 2 days pay. 15/2/14.
Offence. Misconduct. In the Field. Deprived 7 days pay. 28/11/15.
Missing. In the Field. 17/7/16.
Killed in action. In the Field. 17/7/16.
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Ernest’s surviving service record amounts to a total of thirteen pages and these are in fair condition and offer a brief description of the limited information given by him during his medical examination, it offers a little less insight into the events that took place during his period of his military service. There is no attestation page, nor a descriptive page, and as such little is known of what occurred during his military service.
The War Diary records: 14-17 July-16 - FRICOURT. The 110th Brigade attacked and captured BAZENTIN – LE – PETIT WOOD and village and held same. Appendix I. The action attached.
Narrative of action of the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment from 3.00am 14/7/16 to 8.00am 17/7/16.
The Battalion moved from FRICOURT WOOD via the southern and eastern edge of MAMETZ WOOD and reached the north east corner of this wood just before 3.00am. The Battalion was formed in four lines by 3.15am under a fairly heavy bombardment and lined up with the 7th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT on its left about 100 yards in front of MAMETZ WOOD. At 3.25am 1st and 2nd lines advanced on German first line, and five minutes later the third and fourth lines advanced, and, crossing first line, assaulted and took the German second line. The first German line was very much knocked about and some 25 or 30 prisoners were taken in it. The right Company blocked German first line trench on right of the attack, and also the same in the German second line. While crossing “No man’s” land the barrage was not very severe but the two right Companies suffered a good many casualties from enemy machine guns in BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD, which had not then been cleared by 7th Division on our right. There were also two enemy machine guns in the south east corner of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. These were charged by the third and fourth lines and the detachments killed, and the guns taken. There were not a large number of Germans in second line when it was entered. The trenches had been so knocked about that it was difficult to consolidate them. At 4.00am first and second lines, leaving small parties to deal with any dugouts, advanced to German second line, which was also being consolidated by the third and fourth lines. At 4.20am three platoons remained in German second line, and the rest of the Battalion advanced to the “one hour” line, which was reached after suffering a good many casualties from enfilade fire from the direction of BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD. Soon after this the enemy, retiring in front of the 7th Division from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD on our right, were enfiladed from the eastern edge of the wood by our Lewis guns, and suffered heavy losses. For some time the right Company had to form a defensive flank as many of the enemy were trying to get from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD to BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. At 5.20am the Battalion advanced to the “two hour” line and remained there till 6.00am, waiting for the 7th Division to come up on our right. At 6.00am the Battalion was reinforced by several platoons of the 9th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT At 6.05am the line advanced against the village, and, the left of the 7th Division not being up, the whole village was assaulted and taken, and 3 officers and 200 prisoners. At 6.40am the ROYAL IRISH RIFLES entered the village and the eastern portion was handed over to them. At 7.15am the Battalion occupied and began consolidating the line from the northern end of the village, thence southwards to the north eastern point of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD, thence along northern edge of wood halfway to the railway. An attempt to get the real objective was heavily enfiladed from a point just outside the wood near the railway. About 50 prisoners were taken in a trench along northern edge of wood. At 8.30am the enemy made a counter attack against the northern portion of village. The 7th Division who were not very strong here fell back on cemetery. The Battalion conformed and held northern edge of wood and the prolongation of same through the village. At 9.15am the 7th Division were reinforced and retook eastern portion of village, and the Battalion resumed its previous line, joining up with the 7th Division north of the village. At 3.00pm the enemy made another counter attack against northern and north eastern edge of village. Many of them reached the road running from north end of village to railway and were at once stopped by our rifle and Lewis gun fire. The Battalion held and consolidated this position on the night of the 14th and also on the 15th there was no change. At 2.00am on the 16th a party of one officer and 50 men were sent out to try to consolidate the original objective along the road. They were preceded by a party of one officer and 40 men of the YORKSHIRE REGIMENT The latter party got to the road and held it for some time while our party was trying to consolidate, but were heavily bombed and enfiladed from enemy post just outside wood near railway, and was forced to retire. On the night of the 16th the Battalion was relieved by the 10th KING’S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY and the Battalion went into bivouac just south of FRICOURT WOOD, arriving there at 1.00am the 17th instant. The Battalion suffered the following casualties 7 officers killed and 20 wounded. 500 other ranks killed, wounded and missing.