He is possibly the same Ernest Ladd who was born at Tonbridge, Kent about 1889 and who, when the 1891 census was taken, was living at The Flying Horse Inn in Boughton Aluph, Kent with his family.  By 1901 the family was still at Boughton Aluph but living at Forge Cottage.  John Ladd (recorded as James Ladd on the 1891 census) was the village blacksmith and Ernest (aged 13) is noted as a general labourer.

Ernest probably joined the 1/5th Buffs around August 6th 1914.  According to his medal card, he disembarked at Gallipoli on 30th July 1915 and then, as he says, was wounded on 1st September.  He was at Hickwells in December because his name appears in a report published in the Sussex Daily News on the 20th of that month.  He is noted as a band member in a “soldiers’ concert” which took place in Chailey.  The article reports, “Many and various were the instruments, from bells, drums, whistle-pipes and tambourines, while even a brass candlestick was made use of, and last but not least an accordion.  No encores were allowed and two of the nurses helped at the piano.”

Two photos of Ernest Ladd appear in Nurse Oliver’s album, both of them identified as the Murree Hills in what is now Pakistan but what was then Northern India.  One of these photos can be seen in part 12 of The Hospital Way.  There are also two photos taken in Rawalpindi and two others of tribal women, presumably also taken in northern India.  This would certainly be in keeping with the battalion’s movements during the Great War as according to official records the battalion was in India from October 1914 until December 1915.  Ernest Ladd however, was clearly not.  He was being wounded in Gallipoli.

Ernest appears to be the only person amongst the 1/5th Buffs who was unfortunate enough to land in Gallipoli.  While the battalion, as noted above, was enjoying a non-hostile existence in northern India, Ernest was attached to the 2/4th West Kent Regiment.  This was a composite battalion made up of one company each from the 2/4th and 2/5th Buffs along with two companies from the West Kents.  The battalion wore the West Kent badge and ultimately was absorbed by the regiment.

Ernest obviously recovered sufficiently from his wounds to be posted back to the 1/5^th East Kent Regiment whilst it was still in India and I am guessing that the photos which appear in Nurse Oliver’s album must date from late December 1915 and were sent to her by Ernest shortly after he had arrived in the country.  He can’t have been there very long however because in December 1915, the battalion transferred to Mesopotamia where it remained for the remainder of the war. 

In 1917 when the Territorials were renumbered, he acquired the number 240273 which formed part of the block of numbers allocated to the 1/5th East Kent Regiment.  He appears on the Ashford Absentee Voters list for 1918 as Lance Corporal 240273 Ernest Edwin LADD, 5th Buffs (East Kent Regiment).

The photos of India in Nurse Oliver’s album were almost certainly sent to her by Ernest once he had recuperated and been posted back to the 1/5th Buffs in India.

Ernest was disembodied on 10^th December 1919.  He was entitled to the 1914/15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.

Sources and Acknowledgements

• The National Archives: Medal Index Card reference: WO 372/1
• The National Archives: Medal Roll: British War & Victory Medals: E/2/102 B17 Page 2751: WO 329/668
• The National Archives: Medal Roll: 1914/15 Star: Roll E/2/2 B7 Page 516: WO 329/2616
• The Sussex Daily News
• Ashford Absent Voters’ List 1918
• Mick and Neil of The Great War Forum for assistance with the Ladd family of Boughton Aluph and Ernest’s entries in the medal rolls at The National Archives