Deirdre Tyler of Richmond explained the story of Ernest (Ernie) John Tyler to us at one of our drop-in days.
Ernie was born on 23 April 1880 in Edmonton, London. He served in the Royal Engineers 1914-1919, mainly with 29 Division and saw active service in the Dardanelles and the Somme. He embarked for his first active service on 2 June 1915.
He was one of the few Royal Engineers aboard the “S.S. River Clyde” in 1915, when it was ill-fatedly beached at “V” beach, Cape Helles, Gallipoli, under the guns of the defenders. Six VC’s were subsequently awarded to the ship’s crew for their courage in maintaining the bridge and rescuing the wounded from the beach.
Ernie subsequently spent time in Egypt and then at the Home Depot. He suffered from typhoid or enteric fever and as a result was granted home furlough from 29 February to 19 April 1916. He also caught malaria, being classed B,ii for six months as a result. He was awarded a Good Conduct Badge on 18 June 1917.
Ernie lost two of his brothers in the Great War, one at Gallipoli, and another at sea.
After the First World War, Ernie returned to his work in the postal service and was in charge of the first telegraph message motor cycle delivery riders.
He had six children who survived into adulthood. Five served their country in the forces; four in the second world war and one post war. Bernard, his eldest son, was killed in action at Anzio, where he is buried.
In WWII Ernie served as an ARP in the Heavy Rescue Team in the London Blitz. He was involved with the Civil Defence Corps, and was a keen life-long supporter of the Royal British Legion from its inception. He held several tenures as Chairman of the Benfleet Branch in Essex. He died in 1967.
This commemoration is dedicated to the service of Ernest J. Tyler, and to the service and ultimate personal sacrifice of two of his brothers, and his son Bernard E. Tyler, WWII (Anzio).
Posted on behalf of Ernest Tyler’s son, Major (retd) Royce Tyler, MBE, ex Vice Chairman of the Royal British Legion, Richmond Branch, and former dedicated volunteer at the Green Howards Regimental museum.
Deidre P.A. Tyler, daughter of Royce Tyler, both proudly, of Richmond.
Ernie’s medal card
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Robinson Tweedy
Robin Snook provided this information about his great uncle, Robinson Tweedy. 3412/200048 Private Robinson Tweedy of the Yorkshire Regiment went to war with his younger brother, Charles from their home in Kirkby Fleetham. He was wounded in February 1916 near Ypres, receiving a gun shot wound to the abdomen. He was honourably discharged and returned home. he died on 14 December 1918 from his wound and laid to rest in Great Fencote’s churchyard.
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Otto Wedgwood
Otto Wedgewood was born in July 1882 at Bredgar in Kent to Rowland and Annie Wedgwood. He was a descendant of Thomas Wedgwood, the elder brother of the famous potter Josiah Wedgewood. Otto was one of six children. The 1891 census has Otto’s father’s occupation as ‘living on own means’ and was successful enough to employ two servants. The 1901 census shows Otto was living at the home of his nephew George Maxstead in Hornsea Yorkshire. Otto at the time was an Engineer Apprentice. On the 24th October 1914 Otto embarked from London to Bombay in India. His occupation on the passenger list is given as ‘Expert’ and presumably the trip was work related. It is not certain when he returned to Britain. However, it probable that he felt he had to ‘do his bit’ for the war effort and so came home. He subsequently joined the Royal Engineers. From the 4th May 1917 he served with CRE IX Corps. The London Gazette of the 4th December 1915 details Otto attaining the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. By the end of the war he was a Captain. Otto spent time in Canada in the early 1930s but by 1939 he was back in England working as a Cement Works Manager at Gravesend in Kent. In 1944 he married Stella Vincett in Chatham. Otto died on the 23rd May 1957 and was cremated five days later at Greenwich in London. He was 74 years old. Otto’s Granddaughter, Jeanette Schofield, in Richmond.
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Walter G Barker
Walter Gorner Barker was born in Richmond on 2 August 1889. For a time he lived with his family at 71 Frenchgate. He worked as a footman for Sir Mark Sykes at the family seat, Sledmere House near Driffield. Sykes was Commanding Officer of the 5th (Territorial) Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment before the war. It seems that Walter may have served as a territorial soldier before the war (he has a low early regimental number 2274 which is then revised later to 240643). He enlisted at Scarborough and became a Private in the 5th battalion. Walter died on 27 May 1918, south of Craonnne. Prior to this, the battalion war diary records several days as ‘day quiet in trenches’ before the ominous entry for 26th May – ‘”Stood to” at night owing to information received that enemy attack was to be delivered on morning of 27th May’. The diary records that the bombardment began at 1 am with the enemy attacking at 4.30am. The battle lasted for four days. Walter Gorner Barker is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial in France.