SERGEANT ERNEST OSWALD LISTER, 284th ARMY TROOPS COMPANY ROYAL ENGINEERS.


SERGEANT ERNEST OSWALD LISTER, 284th ARMY TROOPS COMPANY ROYAL ENGINEERS. DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES, 13th DECEMBER 1917, AGED 40


Ernest Lister was born in Ilkley in 1878 the son of Oswald and Priscilla Lister who lived at Poplar Grove on Tivoli Place. Oswald was a self employed plasterer and Ernest followed his father into the building trade by becoming a stone mason. Following the death of his father before World War 1 Ernest had set up in business as an asphhelter and concreter and would, no doubt, been have had plenty of work as ilkley expanded in the years before 1914.


Ernest had also served in the army, in the Royal Engineers, probably at the time of the Boer War, and after returning to civilian life, joined what was known as the Special Reserve. This meant that he continued to be paid as a regular soldier but was eligible to return to his unit in times of war.

In 1914 at the outbreak of war and aged over 36 years, Ernest was recalled to by the Royal Engineers, and on the 9th September that year he reported to his units depot at Burnley and was reinstated with the rank of corporal.

It is known that Ernest remained in Britain until the 18th July 1916 when he embarked for France and was assigned to the 248th AT Company Royal Engineers. This unit was responsible for the construction of roads and bridges and was based behind the front lines and in relative safety.

In December 1917 Ernest, now promoted to sergeant was with his unit in a permanent camp near to the town of Poperinghe in the Ypres sector. As a sergeant, Ernest, slept in a separate hut with other men of the same rank. On the morning of the 13th December, however, he was found dead in his bed.

The circumstances of his death meant that a court of enquiry had to be convened and a post mortem examination of his body was requested. It is clear from the results of this post mortem that Ernest was a sick man and by rights should have been in hospital. Officially, the cause of death was Uraemia or kidney failure, but the examination also noted lung and heart disease.

Today Sergeant Ernest Lister lies in the British Military Cemetery at Lijenhoek and he is remembered with pride on Ilkley war memorial




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