Private Ebenezer William James Ireland
| Date of Birth | c. 1896 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 22 |
| Date of Death | 24 April 1918 |
| Service Number | 225583 |
| Military Service | 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers London Regiment |
| Merton Address | 1 The Parade, Mitcham |
| Local Memorial | Mitcham War Memorial |
Additional Information
Born in spring 1896, to Milton and Lillian Ellen Ireland, Ebenezer was baptised at St Peter and St Paul in Mitcham on the 9th of July, 1896. His parents were living at Clarendon Cottages at the time and his father’s occupation is given as scripture reader (a paid position – someone who was nominated by a bishop to read the Holy Scriptures to needy parishioners). By 1901, his father had turned to a more worldly occupation and worked as a grocer at 13 High Street Mitcham (aka Rupert Terrace, London Road), where the family also lived, presumably above the shop. The road was later renamed The Parade, and the shop was located at number 1. It remained open until at least 1915. Ebenezer had 4 living siblings (2 deceased), of which he was the eldest, with younger siblings Theodore, Thomas, George, and Eva. At the age of 14, he was learning the grocery trade from his father.
Before the Royal Fusiliers, he was in the Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion, number 2758; 8th Bedfordshire (from 2/8/17-17/8/17), and 3rd London Regiment (from 18/8/17-29/1/18). He was killed in action on the Somme.