23273, Pte. Ernest Norman
1st Btn. (Queens Own) Royal West Kent Regiment
Note: the picture above was taken from a very poor, almost black photo in a contempory local newspaper
Ernest Norman did not die in one of
the great dramatic battles of World War One such as the battle of the Somme,
Passchendalee or Verdun, but one of the ceaseless struggles in the trenches,
which occurred not only between the large battles but also throughout a given
battle such as the Somme but elsewhere in the line. This less spectacular, routine
or normal trench warfare, was unlike large battles, going on at all times of
the war on some part of the line. 
Ernest was born in 1887 at the hamlet of Newark, Peterborough to James, a Market Gardener and Potato Dealer, and Elizabeth Norman (nee Wilson). He was to be their seventh and youngest son. He grew up in Peterborough and its surrounding villages including Newark, Eastfield, and Eye. By 1914 he and his brother Arthur were working as Cab Proprietors. They operated their business from the Ne
w England area of Peterborough opposite the fountain and the core of their business would have undoubtedly been fares to and from the railway stations. The Normans also hired out Brakes and Wagonettes and furnished Weddings and Funerals.
Ernest enlisted with the Queens Own Royal East Kent Regiment, 'the Buffs', as private 11503 at Peterborough. He later transferred to the Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, changing his service number to 23273. In 1917 he was posted to the 1st Battalion. This battalion had been in France since the start of the war. By 1917 the battalion was at Gorre/ Givenchy.
At 4.00 a.m. on the 8th of February 1917, the Germans began a heavy bombardment of the trenches occupied by Ernest and the rest of the 1st Battalion. Half an hour later the bombardment ceased and the Germans began a trench raid attack. A small party of them succeeded in entering a sap occupied by men of 'D' company. Confused and violent hand-to-hand fighting ensued in the early morning darkness as the West Kents tried to identify and repulse the Germansand vice versa. After the brief but bitter fighting, the West Kents succeeded and the Germans were thrust out of the sap. They left behind themeleven West Kent casualties of which two were killed, two died of wounds, six were wounded and one was missing. Ernest and 619 Pte Alfred Leonard Smith were killed. 17349 Pte Henry Rich and 23867 Pte Sidney Thomas Stephens survived the initial attack only to die later that day from wounds received.
The German loss was difficult to ascertain but was thought to be about 20, of whom five were certainly killed. Ernest was buried at Gorre British and Indian Cemetery, Grave III.C.04 . He was 29 years old.
Copyright © 2000 Paul James Chapman