Ernest Stephen Arnold was born 1884 in Fulham, London. He was the last child of William Arnold and Ann Arnold (nee Richardson).
On 5th April 1891 the Census was held. Ernest Stephen Arnold was living at 83 Rylston Road, Fulham, London. He was living with his parents William Arnold and Annie Arnold (nee Richardson) and his siblings, William Arnold, Emily Mary Arnold, James Arnold and Herbert Arthur Arnold.
Living next door at 81 Rylston Road, Fulham, London were his sister Flora Haines (nee Arnold), his brother-in-law John Haines and his niece Flora Haines.
On 31st March 1901 the Census was held. Ernest Stephen Arnold was living at 281 Lillie Road, Fulham, London with his parents William Arnold and Annie Arnold (nee Richardson) and his brother James Arnold, his brother-in-law John Haines, his sister Flora Haines (nee Arnold), his nieces Flora Haines, Ethel Haines, Lillian Haines and Edith Haines, his nephew Arnold Haines, his brother Herbert Arthur Arnold, his sister-in-law Minnie Ellen Arnold (nee Bull) and his niece Bertha Violet Arnold. He was working for his father as a Boot Finisher.
On 2nd April 1911 the Census was held. Ernest Stephen Arnold was living at 149 Lillie Road, Fulham, London with his parents William Arnold and Annie Arnold (nee Richardson). He was working with his father as a Boot Maker.
On 4th August 1914 England declared war on Germany, starting the First World War.
On Christmas Day 1914 Ernest Stephen Arnold married Annie Salter at St. Augustine Church, Fulham, London. The marriage entry reads;
1914. Marriage solemnized at St Augustine Church in the Parish of St Augustine Fulham in the County of London
When Married. 25th December 19 Name and Surname. Ernest Stephen Arnold/Annie Salter Age. 30/34 Condition. Bachelor/Spinster Rank or Profession. Boot Maker/Manageress Residence at the time of Marriage. 149 Lillie Road/149 Lillie Road Father's Name and Surname. William Arnold/William Salter (Deceased) Rank or Profession of Father. Boot Maker/General Labourer
Married in the Church of St Augustine according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England
This Marriage was solemnized {Ernest Stephen Arnold/Annie Salter} in the Presence of us {William Arnold/N. A. Waller
On 12th December 1915 Ernest Stephen Arnold attended the Army Recuritment Centre in Fulham, London. He was selected for 2/12 County of London Battalion (The Rangers) and given the Army Number 5387 and the Rank of Private.
On 24th March 1916 Ernest Stephen Arnold was Mobilized to Ipswich, Suffolk, where he was given a Medical examination. He was found to be 5" 2', weighing 118 pounds, with a chest measurement of 34 inches.
In May 1916 Ernest Stephen Arnold was moved to Bromeswell Heath.
In July 1916 Ernest Stephen Arnold was moved to Longbridge Deverell, Warminster, Wiltshire.
On 26th August 1916 Ernest Stephen Arnold was caught talking after lights out.
On 9th September 1916 Ernest Stephen Arnold was absent from Roll Call at 21:15 pm and reported to CO's at 22:00 pm.
On 17th September 1916 Ernest Stephen Arnold caused a disturbance after lights out.
On 18th September 1916 Ernest Stephen Arnold failed to attend "Sick" Parade at 07:00 am, after reporting sick to the Orderly.
On 12th November 1916 Ernest Stephen Arnold was AWOL for 12 hours.
On 4th February 1917 Ernest Stephen Arnold landed at Le Havre where they joined the 175th Brigade, 58th Division.
On 17th March 1917 Ernest Stephen Arnold was deployed to pursure the retreating Germans back to the Hindenburg Line.
On 4th May 1917 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved in the Battle of Bullecourt.
At 03:45 am the eastern and western end of the village of Bullecourt was attacked. The village was captured, however German resistance was fierce and when the offensive was called off on 17th May the Germans were still in possesion of the maid objective, the village of Hendecourt.
On 20th May 1917 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved again on the Hindenburg Line.
On 20th September 1917 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved in the Battle of Menin Road Ridge. At 05:40 am 65,000 troops advanced on an eight mile front, screned by heavy mist and a tupefying bombardment. Keeping close to the barrage, the intiial rush, across slippery ground, quickly overran German outposts. By midday the four attacking Divisions on the Gheluvelt Plateau were on their final objectives. The newly won positions were consolidated in anticipation of expected German counter-attacks.
German counter-attacks were dispersed by viciously accurate British barrages. The following days saw further fighting between German and British troops, with the British troops attempting to secure objectives not gained on 20th September.
On 26th September 1917 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved with the Battle of Polygon Wood. At 05:30 am the infantry attacked the German's second defensive line amongst smoke and dust mixed with heavy ground mist, making the visibility poor. This helped the leading waves to quickly overrun the German lines. By 09:45 am the objectives had been secured.
On 26th October 1917 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved in the Second Battle of Passchendaele. On the morning of 26th October it was pouring with rain, turning the ground into thick glutinous mud.
The troops managed to progress only 500 yards, before coming to a halt. On 30th October, the weather improved and a renewal of the attack took place, which allowed them to reach the outskirts of Passchendaele. After an extensive bombarment on the morning of 6th November they were able to secure Passchendaele.
On 21st March 1918 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved with the Battle of St Quentin. On 21st March 1918 at 02:00 am the German barrage began on the British positions south west of St Quentin. At 04:35 am another German barrage began on the main front line. The barrage contained munition shells, mustard gas, chlorine gas and tear gas.
By midday the German troops had broken through the south west of St Quentin and surrounded most of the British Army in that area. Those that had escaped encirclement began to retreat.
Over the next four days the British Army was constantly fighting a rear guard action. By 25th March 1918 there was utter confusion and the army had retreated to Le Transloy.
The movements of 25 March were extremely confused and reports from different battalions and divisions are often contradictory. An unidentified officer's account of his demoralizing experiences that day is quoted in the British Official History:
The remaining troops of the Ulster Division were ordered to withdraw and reorganize. In order to give support to French troops now holding the front, they set off on a 15 mi (24 km) march west. Around midday, they halted for a few hours rest near Avricourt. While there they received orders to head for a new line which would be formed between Bouchoir and Guerbigny.
The movements of 25 March were extremely confused and reports from different battalions and divisions are often contradictory. An unidentified officer's account of his demoralizing experiences that day is quoted in the British Official History:
What remains in my memory of this day is the constant taking up of new positions, followed by constant orders to retire, terrible blocks on the roads, inability to find anyone anywhere; by exceeding good luck almost complete freedom from shelling, a complete absence of food of any kind except what could be picked up from abandoned dumps.[25]The weight of fighting developed to the north of the 54th Brigade, who were now fighting with the French and the battered remnants of the 18th Division who could scarcely raise enough men to form a small Brigade. By 10:00 on the 25th, the left flank of 7th Bedfordshires was again exposed as the French around them retreated, so another retirement was ordered. They withdrew back to Mont Du Grandu further south and away from the British Fifth Army. Midday saw them in a stronger position until the French artillery and machine guns opened fire on them, thinking they were Germans, forcing them to retire, yet again, to high ground west of Grandu.[10]
The remaining troops of the Ulster Division were ordered to withdraw and reorganize. In order to give support to French troops now holding the front, they set off on a 15 mi (24 km) march west. Around midday, they halted for a few hours rest near Avricourt. While there they received orders to head for a new line which would be formed between Bouchoir and Guerbigny.
On 4th April 1918 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved in the Battle of the Avre. At 5 am, in drenching rain, an intense German bombardment pounded allied positions. In dank mist German infantry attacked across sodden ground at 06:30 am. At 10:00 am the Germans broke though, forcing a withdrawl to a position barley a mile east of Villers-Bretonneux. At 16:00 pm the enemy penetrated Lancer Wood, forcing the defenders even furthur back. However a counter-attack at 17:45 pm stopped the German advance.
On 24th April 1918 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved in the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. The attack took place on the night of 24/25 April 1918. It started at 10 pm. The troops surrounded the village of Villers Bretonneux, forcing the Germans to retreat via a railway cutting, leaving the village to be recaptured and handed back to the villages.
On 8th August 1918 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved with the Battle of Amiens. The battle began in dense fog at 4:20 am with an attack on the north of the Somme, with support by eight battalions of the Royal Tank Corps.
At 7:30 am the attackers captured the first German position. Such was the speed of their advance that some German officers and divisional staff were captured while eating their breakfasts. However any furthur advance was held up just outside of Chipilly.
By 9th August the village of Chipilly was recaptured and returned to the villagers.
On 22nd August 1918 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved in the Battle of Albert. This battle saw the German army pushed back to the Hindenburg line.
On 31st September 1918 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved in the Second Battle of Bapaume.
On 18th September 1918 Ernest Stephen Arnold was involved in the Battle of Epehy. At 5:20am the attack opened and the troops advanced. The Germans, now at a very low level of moral, more or less, just got up and left their positions, allowing for an allied victory.
On 2nd October 1918 the final advance into Artois began.
On 11th November 1918 at 11:00am the Armistice was signed.
On 3rd March 1919 Ernest Stephen Arnold was promoted to the rank of Acting Sargent. He was moved to Leuze.
In June 1919 Ernest Stephen Arnold was transfered back to England.
On 20th June 1919 he was promoted to the rank of Sargent.
On 7th July 1919 he was promoted to the rank of Sargent/Shoemaker.
On 13th October 1919 he was demobed.
In 1948 Ernest Stephen Arnold died in Battersea, London
Do you know if Ernest S Arnold and Annie had any children?
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