EVERTON, Ernest

Ernest Everton was a regular soldier with the Worcesters and had served overseas in South Africa with his regiment. His parents, Thomas and Lottie Everton, lived at 2 Field Lane, Oldswinford, and he attended Oldswinford C of E School. He was married to Mary and they lived in Kingswinford but she had died before 1914. By this time he had completed his service with the Colours but remained in the Reserve. He was called up on the 4th August and joined the 3rd Battalion in the British Expeditionary Force. Most of them crossed the Channel on the 12th August and were sent hurriedly into Belgium as far as Mons to halt the German advance. Ernest Everton joined them on the 27th August in the middle of the Retreat from Mons, a retreat that was inevitable, given the overwhelming strength of the German army. A ten day continuous withdrawal of 150 miles took them south and beyond the River Marne. The German army, however, had over-stretched its supplies and on the 5th September the Worcesters turned about and helped to drive the Germans back to the River Aisne. This was a significant part of the Battle of the Marne which prevented German victory in 1914. When the Germans decided to hold the Aisne river line, the battalion took part in a series of attacks starting on the 13 September at Vailly-sur-Aisne. Casualties amounted to about 150 men over the next ten days and among them was Private Ernest Everton, who was killed in action on the 21st September. He was 29 years of age and is commemorated on La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Kingswinford, Oldswinford church and Oldswinford school Memorials.