Sergeant Ernest Ayling

Born in Mitcham, Ernest was baptised on 19th April 1885. He was the son of Andrew and Mary Ayling and uncle of Albert Ayling, who enlisted in the 7th Battalion Rifle Brigade. His father was a pig dealer and he had three older brothers - George, Anthony and John. In 1891 the family was living at 16 Ebenezer Cottages, Mitcham. By 1901, at the age of sixteen, Ernest was a general labourer and living with his parents at 13 Allen’s Cottages, East Fields, Mitcham. Ten years later he was married to Dora Ayling and had moved to 2 Cornwall Cottages, Greyhound Lane, Streatham. He was working as a plasterer’s labourer.

Ernest signed up as a private in the Royal Irish Rifles, which was part of the British Expeditionary Force that went to France to fight in the first battles on the western front. Little is known about his war service. According to the WW1 medal roll he was reported ‘missing assumed dead’ on 24 May 1915. However other records, including the Commonwealth War Graves Certificate and the Register of Effects, show that he was killed in action in France on 5th July 1916. Ireland’s Memorial Records also give this as his date of death. At the time of his death he was a Sergeant in the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment. He was 31 years old.

Ernest Ayling is buried at the Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz on the Somme (Cemetery Memorial reference III.K.I). He is remembered on the Mitcham War Memorial.