AINSCOW, Ernest Austin
| Service Number: | 4248 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 June 1916, Enlisted at Cairns |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 47th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hulme, Manchester, Lancashire, England, 1898 |
| Home Town: | Cairns, Cairns, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Hambledon State School, North Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Mechanical Assistant |
| Died: | Multiple shell wounds to the arms and legs, France, 12 August 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord Pas de Calais Plot 1, Row W, Grave 20 Headstone inscription reads: The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Cairns Cenotaph |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Jun 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4248, 31st Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Cairns | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 4248, 31st Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 4248, 31st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Brisbane | |
| 10 Jul 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 47th Infantry Battalion, Transferred from the 31st Battalion to the 47th Battalion | |
| 12 Aug 1917: | Involvement Private, 4248, 47th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4248 awm_unit: 47th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-08-12 |
Ernest Austin Ainscow
Ernest Ainscow was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England the son of Richard Ainscow and Eliza Ann Jackson. Richard and Eliza Ann married 5 July 1896 in Ardwick, Lancashire, England. Ernest was their first child, followed by Lucretia (b 20 April 1898 Moorside, Manchester, England), Lois May (1905 Lancashire, England) and Gilbert Kay (c1911 Queensland-1942). The Ainscow family arrived in Australia in 1908 on the “Ortona”.
Ernest Ainscow’s baptism 5 Sept 1897, St Michael, Hulme, Manchester, England. Source: Ancestry.com “Manchester Church of England Births & Baptisms 1813-1915”
Ernest enlisted 3rd June 1916 aged 18 years and 5 months. His occupation is given as a mechanics assistant. He named his next-of-kin as his mother, Eliza Ann Ainscow c/o Richard Ainscow “Woodford”, Edmonton via Cairns North Queensland. Ernest was 5 foot 9 inches tall with a fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. He sailed from Brisbane aboard the “Kyarra” 3 June 1916 arriving in Plymouth, England on 1 January 1917. Five months later he sailed for France, via Southampton, arriving in Havre 19 June 1917. He had qualified as a signaller. It was only two months later he was wounded in Belgium on 12 August 1917 receiving multiple wounds to his legs and arms. Ernest died of his wounds on the same day, 12th August 1917. He is buried Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord Pas de Calais, France. Deborah Gower, who is a cousin of Ernest, discovered a treasure trove of Ernest’s war time memorabilia. Included are a number of letters, 17 of which were written to his sister Lucretia, and photographs, cards and a number of other wonderful items. This treasure trove gives an insight into Ernest character and ensures his sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Courtesy of The Cairns District Family History Society. Submitted by Lyn Turner
Submitted 19 March 2021 by Lynette Turner
Biography contributed by Carol Foster
Arrived in Australia aged 10 years
Son of Richard and Eliza Anne Ainscow of 'Woodford', Edmonton, QLD, formerly of Manchester, England
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
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