Poppy In memoriam Poppy

Rifleman Ernest Augustus Stevenson

 

 

 

Ernest Augustus Stevenson was born on 20 May 1888 at Derrytrasna, County Armagh, son of farmer Joseph Stevenson and his wife Ruth Jane (nee Hewett). He was the fifth of twelve children.

Stevenson enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Hollywood, County Down, in April or May 1914 (No.943).

In November 1916 Stevenson, together with around 100 other North Irish Horsemen, volunteered to transfer to the Royal Irish Rifles (No.40919). They embarked for France on 7 December, where they joined the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, on the Somme front.

In early 1917 Stevenson was wounded, possibly during the attack in the sector in front of Bouchavesnes from 4 to 8 March, during which the 1st Battalion took significant casualties. The wound, however, was not severe, and he was able to rejoin his battalion soon after.

On 16 August 1917 Stevenson's battalion took part in the Battle of Langemarck, part of Third Ypres. The battalion war diary for the day listed 27 other ranks killed, 7 wounded and missing, 170 wounded, and 63 missing.

Rifleman Stevenson was one of those reported as killed in action that day.

As he has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlanderen, Belgium, Panel 140.

 

 

Memorial images Copyright © Phillip Tardif with all rights reserved as set out in this Use of Material policy. Newspaper image from the Belfast Evening Telegraph kindly provided by Nigel Henderson, Researcher at History Hub Ulster (www.greatwarbelfastclippings.com).