Ernest George Calton was born on the 21st May 1896. The family were living on Boosey’s Walk in New Buckenham. His father, Charles, was from Rickinghall in Suffolk and he was a yardman on a farm. His mother, Laura (nee Self), came from Winfarthing. Ernest had four siblings, Walter, Lily Mary, Leonard James (known as Ned) and Sidney. We know that Ernest is the only member of the family not living in Norfolk in 1901; he is staying with his maternal grandparents, the Self family, in Keighley, West Yorkshire, where the former Winfarthing family are employed as worstead spinners.
Ernest’s mother dies in 1908. By 1911, Ernest and his brother Walter were farm labourers, sister Lily looked after the house and the two younger brothers were at school.
Enlisting into the 9th Battalion of the Essex Regiment on the 4th September 1914, Ernest at some stage was promoted to Corporal. He is posted abroad in July 1915 and is reported as being wounded in the Norwich Mercury, 30th August 1916. However, he returns to active service and is still fighting in France when on the 4th April, 1918, he is killed in action during the Spring Offensive. This action saw him win the Distinguished Conduct Medal posthumously.
Citation: 26 June 1918 and reported in the Norwich Mercury on Saturday, 29th June:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was in command of an isolated post which was attacked by a large force of the enemy. Though greatly outnumbered, he defended his post with great courage and determination, inflicted casualties on the enemy and successfully drove them back.
There was a memorial service for Ernest, and also Wilfred Breeze, held in Carleton Rode Church on Sunday, May 12th 1918.
He is buried in Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension (Somme). In the same cemetery, there are four men who were ‘Shot at Dawn’, one of whom is buried next to Ernest.
Both of Ernest’s brothers served in the war; Walter in the East Yorkshire Regiment and Ned enlisted in the Royal Navy (where he would serve until the end of the Second World War). All three of them are on the Carleton Rode Roll of Honour board; we know from the electoral registers and absent voter lists of 1918 that Charles and his family were living on Upgate Street in the village.