Ernest Edward Bennington was born in Runhall, Norfolk in 1886 to Edward, a farm labourer born in Brandon Parva (a neighbouring parish), and Anna Maria Brown (who was born in Runhall). The family moved several times; we know that they were living in Rattle Row, Wymondham in 1901 and that they moved to Carleton Rode from Wicklewood in 1904. There were 13 children born to the marriage including Anna Mildred (born in 1877, before they married), Florence Elizabeth (1880), Ellen Maria (1882), Margaret Eliza (1884), Sidney George (1888), Ada Alice (1890) and Walter Henry (1892). Anna Maria, their mother, dies in 1893 and by the 1901 census, Edward, their father, has remarried; Emily Watson, a widow from Loddon. There were two step-siblings living with the family, Kate and Alfred Watson. Alfred is also on the Carleton Rode Roll of Honour board.
By 1911, the family were living on Carleton Fen.
On the 1901 Census, Ernest is boarding on a farm in Loddon working as a farm labourer. During this period, he lost the end of his little finger on the left hand as recorded on his enlistment papers when he joined the Norfolk Regiment as a regular soldier in September 1905, aged 19.
He served in Gibraltar, India and South Africa. Ernest had at least two tattoos, including the figure of a woman on his right forearm. During his army service, he received training as a carpenter and gained two good conduct badges, although his army record shows him as a feisty character. In 1909 he was disciplined for “telling an arrested soldier to strike a policeman”. He received a sobriety certificate for “not being under the influence of liquor 1909-1912” when he left the army and was placed on the reserve list.
Following his recall in August 1914, Ernest was promoted to Corporal and then later to Sergeant. However, subsequently he was demoted for ‘irregular conduct’. Following this, Ernest requests a transfer to the Border Regiment in November 1915. He was made acting Sergeant.
Prior to his transfer, Ernest had seen an active war with the Norfolks. In 1914, he was hospitalised in Boulogne after being buried by a shell. Also, he had been hit by two bullets; one which went through his coat and the other through his cardigan, striking his belt. This is reported in an EDP article (see text below) which contains extracts from two letters written to Annie Cullum (Ernest’s friend). He also describes seeing his brother Walter wounded. Reading these letters gives the reader a real sense of Ernest’s war.
Extract from the Eastern Daily Press, Saturday 12th December 1914
NORFOLK SERGEANT’S ESCAPES
35 DAYS IN THE TRENCHES
Sergeant E. Bennington, of the 1st Norfolks, whose home is at Carleton Rode (Norfolk) writing to Miss Annie Cullum, says:-
“I am at No.11, General Hospital, Boulogne. …I got buried with one of those big shells, and I think it hurt something inside me … I have had some narrow escapes. One bullet went through my jacket and cardigan and the buckle on my belt stopped it, else I don’t think I should have been alive now. Another time one of my section got wounded and I was going to crawl out of my rabbit hole to see if I could do anything for him when they had another pop-shot at me, this time through my coat, jacket and all my underclothes without doing any more damage, so I said to the chap next to me ‘I think it will pay to keep the head down here.’ He only laughed and said, ‘You’ll never get killed, you have nine lives like a cat,’ to which I replied ‘I am thinking I am wanting ninety-nine.’ Well we got relieved that night, and back in the trenches the next night. We had not been in the trenches more than ten minutes before they started firing again. The same chap was next to me, so I said, ‘I am not taking all this lying down’ so we started firing again. I had fired about two rounds when away came another one. I said, ‘They had done me this time,’ but he said, ‘not they.’ So we got down in the trench and struck a match. Nothing wrong much, but two of the fingers of my glove blown away and a big bruise on my finger. Well we laughed again and had another shot.”
In another letter Sergeant Bennington says:-
“I have been all over France and Belgium; we have seen the thickest of the fighting. I have been on the Aisne, at Marne, Cambrai, Soissons, La Bassée, and I don’t know where I have not been. I have never seen our lot downhearted. They are a lot of good chaps and Norfolk has got someone to be proud of. I was just in front of my brother Walter when he got wounded, but never got the chance to speak to him after it. We have put up with a lot, thirty-five days in the trenches at a time, and came out caked in mud, but we have stood our ground against long odds, and we are going to win through it. There will be a big roll call when this war is over.”
Walter survived the war (and is named on the Roll of Honour board) but Ernest’s luck ran out and he died in Belgium on the 2nd March 1916. His body was never recovered and he is remembered on the Menin Gate, Ypres.
His father, Edward, was unable to write. The death papers sent to him had to be completed by the Carleton Rode Rector, Arthur Back. Ernest’s great nephew, who still lives in the village has his death plaque, commonly called the ‘Dead Man’s Penny’.
Ernest’s younger step-brother, Alfred William Watson, survived the Great War and is also listed on the village Roll of Honour board.
My grandfather Robert Hammond lived in Runhall at the start of WW1. He transferred to the 7th border regiment too in 1915 and was killed in August 1916. I have wondered if they new each other. There is many of my Hammond ancestors from Coston and Runhall from this time.
It turns out Edward Bennington was step son to my great great grandfathers brother James hammond of coston. He and Mary had other children. They are buried in coston church yard. So its quite likely my grandfather knew Earnest and Walter and possibly why he joined the army.
My Great Grandfather was Walter Henry Bennington. He got married in Belfast in 1916 to my Great Grandmother Lily Nelson. He returned there after the war and died in 1972. His son John Carson Bennington (Jack) is my Grandfather.