Son of Mr William & Mrs Elizabeth Sears
Husband of Edith M (nee Cox)
Aged 28 years
Died 8th October 1918
Commemorated Bellicourt British Cemetery, Aisne, France
Grave VIL. L.10
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| Born and enlisted at Rushden. |
Rushden Echo, October 25th, 1918, transcribed by Greville Watson
Rushden’s Casualty List - Victims of the War
Mrs Sears, of 13, Glassbrook-road, Rushden, has received unofficial news of the death in action on October 8th of her husband, Bombardier Ernest Edward Sears, R.F.A. The sad news is sent by the Rev. R. Spread, C.F., who wrote under date October 12th as follows : “You may have heard by now of the very sad death of your husband, Bombr. E. E. Sears, who was killed by a bomb. He and four of his comrades were all killed together instantly while they were asleep and suffered no pain, which is some comfort. He will be very greatly missed by all the officers and men of his battery. I am afraid that this will be a very sad loss for you, and I pray that God may strengthen you in this time of trial. I buried your husband near Pouchaux, and we put a cross above his grave. With every sympathy for you in your sorrow.” Deceased’s officer, Lieut. E. Thorpe, writes : “I am very very sorry indeed to inform you that your husband, Bombr. Ernest E. Sears, was killed in action on October 8th, 1918. On the day of the break through, the battery went forward and took up an advanced position. Directly it was dark over came the Hun planes and bombed us as I never remember being bombed before. It was an awful night, and one of the bombs fell right into the gun-pit in which Bombr. Sears and his detachment were sleeping, killing every man. It was a great blow to the battery, as they were the finest set of men I ever knew. Bombr. Sears was a fine, keen, and reliable N.C.O., and his loss is acutely felt by us all.” The late Bombr. Sears was 28 years of age, and joined the Colours on October 6th, 1915, going to France on January 6th, 1916. On August 9th this year he was badly gassed, and for a few days was blind and dumb. He was not, however, sent to Blighty. Before joining the Colours he was employed by Messrs. Nurrish and Pallett, boot manufacturers, Rushden. His brother, the late Pte. R. Sears, was killed in action on August 16th, 1917, and another brother, Pte. T. Sears, is in hospital at South Ripon recovering from the effects of gas and trench fever. Mrs Sears’ brother, Pte. L. Cox, has been reported wounded and missing since April 5th, and a brother-in-law of deceased, Pte. J. Shipman, is a prisoner in Germany. In addition to his widow, the late Bombr. Sears leaves a baby girl, aged three.
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 Kettering Leader, 25th October 1918, transcribed by John Collins.
The Sleep of Death - Rushden Bombardier Killed
Mrs. Sears, of 13, Glassbrook-road, Rushden, has received news from a chaplain that her husband, Bombardier Ernest Edward Sears, of the R.F.A., was killed by a bomb on Oct. 9th. He writes: “You may have heard by now of the very sad death of your husband, Bombardier E. E, Sears, who was killed by a bomb on Oct. 9th. He and four of his comrades were all killed together instantly while they were asleep, and suffered no pain, which is some comfort. He will be greatly missed by all the officers and men of his battery. I buried your husband near Ponchaux, and we put up a cross about his grave.” Bombardier Sears, who was 28 years of age, enlisted on Oct. 6th, 1915, and went to France on Jan. 16th, 1916. He was gassed on Aug. 9th this year, and lost sight and speech for a few days. He, however, did not come over to England. Before joining up he was employed as a pressman at Messrs. Nurrish and Pallett’s factory, Rushden. His parents reside at 82, Wellingborough-road, Rushden. Another son, Pte. Robert Sears, Northants Regt., was killed on August 16th, 1917; and another, Pte. Tom Sears, M.G.C., is at South Ripon, after being gassed and having trench fever.
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The Rushden Echo Friday 8 November 1918, transcribed by Nicky Bates
Rushden Brothers Killed in the War
Official news has now been received of the death in action of Bombardier Ernest Edwards Sears, RFA, aged 28, husband of Mrs E E Sears of 13, Glassbrook-road, Rushden, and son of Mrs W Sears, of 82, Wellingborough-road, Rushden. He was killed in France on Otcober 8th.
Mrs Sears has lost another son in the war, Pte R Sears, aged 20, who was killed in action on August 16th, 1917.
A brother of Mrs E E Sears, Pte Leonard Cox, son of Mrs R Cox, of 4 Dayton-street, Rushden, is reported wounded and missing.
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The Rushden Echo Friday 19 September 1919, transcribed by Nicky Bates
Rushden Soldier's Line - ' That Fatal Wooden Track' - Verses Found in Deceased Bombardier's Kit
A melancholy interest attaches to the verses published below. They were composed by the late Bombardier Ernest Edward Sears, of Rushden, who was killed in action during the war. His wife has just received the deceased soldier's kit, in going through which she found the verses. Several photographs of his friends were included, and these had been shot through by shrapnel. The lines, which Bombardier Sears had entitled "That Fatal Wooden Track," are as follow:-
There's a place not far from Ypres, sir,
To the eastward on the map.
The place is Warrington Road, sir,
Better known as "The Wooden Track".
And when they get the order
"Be ready, sharp, at nine,"
You'll see the drivers mounted,
And ready for the Line.
For the guns are always calling
For shells both night and day;
And as they near the place of fate,
They think of home, and pray.
They pray to God in Heaven
To bring them Safely back,
And give them courage
To get over "The Wooden Track".
'Tis then they need their courage,
As they gallop up the track;
Though shells fall round like hailstones,
There is no turning back.
Though tragic in its splendour
Is the scene that meets the eye,
The bravest and the best, sir,
Have gone there oft to die.
This is the place for heroes, sir;
May the story be ever new,
Of the Twenty-fifth Division,
Who wear the Red Horse Shoe.
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The Wellingborough News and The Rushden Echo Friday 10 October 1919, transcribed by Nicky Bates
In Memoriam
In loving memory of my dear husband, Bdr ERNEST EDWARD SEARS, who was killed in action on October 8th, 1918.
Sweet is thy rest, dear husband,
'Tis sweet to breathe your name,
In life I loved you dearly,
In death I do the same;
It's sweet to think we'll meet again,
When all these partings are o'er;
That you, the dear one I loved so well,
Has only gone before.
With love from his Wife and Daughter, 4 Dayton-street, Rushden.
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The Wellingborough News Friday 8 October 1920, transcribed by Nicky Bates
In Memoriam
In ever-loving memory of my dear husband, Bombardier E.E. SEARS, R.F.A., who fell in action on October 8th, 1918, in France.
Some day we hope to meet him,
Some day we know not when,
To clasp his hand in the better land,
Never to part again.
From his loving Wife and Daughter, 4 Dayton-street, Rushden.
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