CUDMORE, Ernest Osmond
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Royal Flying Corps |
| Born: | Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia, 2 July 1894 |
| Home Town: | Coldstream, Yarra Ranges, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Jockey |
| Died: | Suicide, Lillydale, Victoria, Australia, 26 September 1924, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Lilydale Lawn Cemetery, Victoria Church of England, Section 1, Grave 417 |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| Date unknown: | Involvement Second Lieutenant, Officer, Royal Flying Corps |
|---|
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Second of four sons of Milo Robert CUDMORE and Constance CUDMORE nee ALEXANDER.
When Ernest was fourteen his leg was broken when he was thrown from a horse. The bone did not set and his leg had to be amputated below the knee.
On 6 June 1917 Ernest Cudmore enlisted in the Royal Air Force. On 23 August 1917 he was discharged as a 3rd class air mechanic as he had received a temporary commission on probation as a 2nd lieutenant in the General List for duty with the Royal Flying Corps. He was described at this time as 6 foot tall, keen and efficient with good military character. No descriptive marks were noted; the wooden leg was not mentioned.
His next of kin to be informed of casualties as recorded on the service records was Mrs D. H. Cudmore, Union Bank of Australia, Cornhill, London. This is probably Mrs Martha Cudmore, the widow of Ernest’s uncle Daniel Henry Cashel Cudmore (1844 – 1913). She had sons fighting in the war, including Collier Robert Cudmore and Milo Massey Cudmore, cousins of Ernest.
Ernest was confirmed in his rank of 2nd Lieutenant with effect from 13 November 1917. (London Gazette 15 December 1917). He was mentioned in dispatches gazetted 30 May 1919.
On 5 February 1918 Ernest Cudmore went missing and was taken prisoner of war. He was transferred to Holzminden.
Ernest had been captured at Jabbeke, about 17 kilometres west of Bruges in Belgium. Sergeant Leslie Bains was captured at the same time. They were probably in the same plane.
A family story has that Ernest tried to escape while a prisoner so the Germans took away his wooden leg.
Source : https://anneyoungau.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/a-is-for-aviator-ernest-osmond-cudmore/
The body of Ernest Osborne Cudmore, of Devon Park, Coldstream, shot through the head, was found on a train at Lilydale station. It is belived to be a case of suicide. Cudmore was a well-known amateur rider and sportsman. He belonged to the Yarra Glen and Lilydale Hunt Club.
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