Ernest Frederick Poole was born on 4th March 1883. He was the son of labourer Frederick and his wife, Alice Poole. In 1911, Ernest was living at 7 Stonycroft Road, Woodford Bridge with his family and he was working as a gas fitter’s labourer.
By 1914, Ernest was already in the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment. The Battalion was sent to the front and arrived in Le Havre on 16th August 1914. They saw action at Mons and Le Cateau before the Germans were pushed back. Many casualties were sustained in these weeks.
At some point, Frederick Poole was injured and died of wounds on 23rd September 1914, perhaps in the Homeopathic Hospital at Neuilly-sur-Seine which was functioning as a Military Hospital at that time. Ernest was buried at Neuilly-sur-Seine New Communal Cemetery, France.
He is also commemorated on the Cenotaph at Newport in Gwent.
Research by Adrian Lee and Redbridge Museum
Sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ancestry.com