Pte 15808 Ernest Edmund Shone

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 3rd July 1916
• Commemorated at: Peronne Rd Cem Maricourt
  Panel Ref: I.A.9

15808 Private Ernest Edmund SHONE, No 3 Coy, 17th Batn KLR – KIA 03.07.1916.

Born on 10th November 1889, Ernest, known to the family as "Jack" was the second son and youngest of three children born to Charles Bradshaw Stone, a grocer’s assistant, and his wife Mary Ann (nee Robinson), who married in 1883 at St Clement’s, Toxteth and lived at 20 Pengwern Street, Toxteth. He was baptised at St Clement's Church, Toxteth on 07th September 1890. 

On the 1871 census at 3 Rowland Street, Toxteth Park, Edmund Yates is aged 14 and is a step-son of James Robinson and his wife Mary, so Edmund was a half-brother to Ernest's mother Mary Robinson who at the time of the Census was then aged 9. 

In 1891 they live at the same address but on 08th May 1895 Ernest’s father died and was buried in Toxteth Cemetery (Smithdown Road). He left his estate, valued at £113, to his widow, who continued to live at 20 Pengwern Street. 

His widow apparently fell upon hard times because in the 1901 Census she is shown at the Pengwern Street address, employed as a laundress, with just her eldest child, Edward P (Penlington) aged 15 years and employed as a pawnbroker’s assistant, while her two younger children are shown in residential homes – Ernest is an inmate in the Blue Coat Hospital, Mount Pleasant while Elsie is shown in St Margaret’s Hostel, Parliament Street.

In 1903, however, Mary Ann married James O’Neill and the 1911 Census shows them living at 41 Vronhill Street, Toxteth, with Mary Ann’s three children – Edward, now a pawnbroker’s manager; Elsie; and Ernest, aged 21 is a storeman for Ogden's Imperial Tobacco. Also recorded from the current marriage is a daughter Nora O'Neill aged 6,  another daughter Mary Dorothy died in 1908 aged 3.

On 01st September 1914, Ernest answered Lord Derby’s call for volunteers and enlisted at St George’s Hall, Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He gave his age as 25 years 225 days and his occupation as clerk. His records show that he was only 5’2” tall and weighed only 114 lbs, just over 8 stone.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 07^th November 1915.

On 01st July 1916 he took part in the successful 17th Battalion assault on Montauban but on 03rd July was treated at 96 CCS having sustained gunshot wounds to his abdomen. He died on 03rd July and in the words of Reverend P. H. Turnbull, Chaplain with 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment, his grave was “4 and a quarter miles from Bray sur Somme”. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo ON 17th July 1916

ALWAYS CHEERFUL

Private Ernest Shone of the "Pals," has been killed. He resided with his mother a 41 Vronhill, Liverpool. Previous to the war he was employed at the imperial Tobacco Company. His officer, in a letter wrote:- "He was loved by all who knew him out here. It was his ready wit which kept up the spirits of the men when they were in the most dangerous places."

Following the war and the relocation of some graves, Jack now rests at Peronne Road Cemetery, Section I Row A Grave 9.

Maricourt was, at the beginning of the Battles of the Somme 1916, the point of junction of the British and French forces, and within a very short distance of the front line; it was lost in the German advance of March 1918, and recaptured at the end of the following August.

The Cemetery, originally known as Maricourt Military Cemetery No.3, was begun by fighting units and Field Ambulances in the Battles of the Somme 1916, and used until August 1917; a few graves were added later in the War, and at the Armistice it consisted of 175 graves which now form almost the whole of Plot I. It was completed after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields in the immediate neighbourhood and from certain smaller burial grounds.

There are now 1348, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 366 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 26 soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves could not be found.

The cemetery covers an area of 3,787 square metres and is enclosed on three sides by a low red brick wall.

Soldiers Effects to mother Mrs Mary O'Neill and brother Edward P., Pension to mother Mary Ann.

His effects were received by his mother in January 1917, when she was living at 89 Vandyke Street, Lodge Lane.

Jack was remembered by his family on the first anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Echo on the 03rd July 1917:

SHONE - In loving remembrance of my dear son Ernest (Jack), Pals, who was killed in action July 3, 1916 - Mother, Sisters and Brother.

Sadly, his mother died on 22nd March 1918 and Ernest’s medals (all three) were sent to his older brother Edward, then living at 102 Smithdown Road.

On 18th July 1916, Edmund and Amelia Yates, 49 Lark Lane, placed a notice in the Liverpool Daily Post which read

“Killed in Action Ernest Edmund (Jack) Shone, Pals, dearly beloved nephew of Edmund and Amelia Yates”.

We currently have no further information on Ernest Edmund Shone, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.