Private Ernest Payne

Born in Mitcham in 1890, Ernest was youngest the son of Margaret and Jesse Brooke Payne. Jesse was a Carpenter by trade, and the family were living in Church Road, Mitcham. Ernest’s siblings were Margaret aged 6, Thomas 5 and Arthur 3. Ernest was baptised at St Peter and Paul Church.

By 1901 the family had moved nearby to 12 Homewood Road, Mitcham and had grown to include Nellie aged 5 and William just 3 days old at the time of the Census. According to the 1911 Census the family were still living at Homewood Road, but now Ernest had followed in his father’s footsteps and was employed as a Carpenter/Joiner. The family later moved to 145 Church Road.

During WW1, Ernest enlisted in Mitcham with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London) Regiment. His Service Number suggests that he enlisted soon after the outbreak of War between September and October 1914.

Ernest’s Battalion served in Gallipoli in 1915, and Egypt in 1916 before landing in Marseille in March 1916 for service on the Western Front. The battalion would have taken part in the Battle of the Somme in the autumn of 1916.

In April 1917, the 2nd Battalion were stationed at Arras, France. The 2nd Battle of Arras took place between April 9 and May 17. The Battalion’s War Diary gives a long detailed account of the battle that took place on the 24 April when unfortunately, Ernest was killed during an attack launched from Shrapnel Trench - one of 190 casualties on that day.

Ernest has no known grave, but is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France and locally on the Mitcham War Memorial. His mother Margaret received his last pay of £19.17.8 plus the War Gratuity of £12.00.