Ernest Andrew Payne

A Private with the 7th Battalion, Ernest died on 24th of April 1918 at the age of 25. 

Ernest was born Stotfold, Bedfordshire in 1892, a son of Andrew and Minnie Payne. In 1901 his family lived at The Crofts, Stotfold, and this was still their address in 1911 when Ernest worked as a butcher. 

Ernest enlisted in the Army at Hitchin. He joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, service number 240389. He was posted to the 11th Battalion. From January 1917 the 11th Battalion were stationed at Pakefield and it seems that this led to Ernest meeting and marrying Maud Alice Baldry, formerly Bryant. The marriage was registered in the Mutford district. Their home was at 95 Kimberley Road. 

Ernest was posted to France to serve with the 7th Battalion.  

For much of April 1918 the 7th Battalion were in billets at Boutillerie. At 4 a.m. on 24 April they stood to and moved, by stages, into the line. The battalion were ordered to make a counter-attack, at Villers-Bretonneux, at 10 p.m. The night was intensely dark. The battalion moved forward to the assault and encountered slight opposition for the first 1000 yards but the battalion on their right was held up by machine-gun fire. At this stage the reserve company was ordered forward and thus reinforced the assault was continued and reached the final objective in spite of fierce enemy opposition and both flanks being exposed. 

During 24 – 25 April the battalion’s casualties were:
Officers: three killed, seven wounded
Other ranks: 13 killed, 105 wounded, 70 missing   

Ernest was reported missing on 24 April. Pension record and soldiers’ effects documents show that Ernest might have been killed in action, or died of wounds, or died as a prisoner of war, indicating that at that time no one had any certain knowledge of what had happened to him. By October 1918 it was determined that he was presumed to have died on, or since, 24 April.