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WORLD WAR ONE
The Men Who Died
WORLD WAR ONE
Ernest was born to George and Elizabeth Ann Cripps in 1895 in Brecon. They lived at 2, Harp Terrace and his father was a railway guard.
Harp Terrace must have been used for the railway workers, as in the census, the main occupations for the families seem to be to do with the railway.
In the 1911 Census, there are seven children in the family; Ernest was 16 and he had a brother Harold who was 12.
Percy's father and two brothers also served in the war. In 1915, his father John, a much decorated veteran served as Hospital Sergeant in Milford Haven, older brother Frank was also in Aden, whilst the younger William was a bugler with the Reserve Battalion in Milford Haven.
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See page 216
Private Ernest Cripps
Grenadier Guards. 2nd Battalion, service no. 16250
Killed in Action October 11th 1915, aged 21
Buried at St Mary’s A.D.S Cemetery, Haisnes, France
Harold also joined up later in the war and survived. Ernest went to Mount Street School and at 16 and still at school.
He went out with the first Expeditionary Force in August 1914 and fought with the Guards throughout most of the major battles, including Mons and Ypres.
In April 1915, the local paper reported the Grenadiers went out 1200 strong, and of that number only 50 survived. Ernest had been home on leave a few weeks before his death and was reported as in good health and spirit.
