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Ernest Edward J Calladine was born in Derby in 18942, the only child of William Edward and Clara Elizabeth (née Tomlinson) Calladine. William worked as a lace maker and, in 1901 he was age 28, living with his 29-year-old wife, their son Ernest, then age 6, and Ezekiel Beardsley, a 44-year-old boarder, also a lace maker3. In 1899, Ezekiel had been summoned for deserting his wife Thirza and had been declared bankrupt in 19004 but, nevertheless, he continued to live with and, presumably, give support to the Calladine household. In 1910, William Edward Calladine left for America, found work there in a Philadelphia lace mill.5. In 1911, Clara Elizabeth - apparently now more generally known as Elizabeth - had moved to 9 Gladstone Street, Long Eaton with her son, now aged 16 and working as a lace threader. Ezekiel Beardsley was present, still described a a 'boarder'6. Although his Army Service Record has not survived, it appears that Ernest enlisted in May 19167 with the North Staffordshire Regiment, probably receiving basic training with that regiment before, at some point, being transferred to the Lancashire Fusiliers, first to 2nd Battalion and then to 10th Battalion, part of 52nd Brigade of the 17th (Northern) Division7. Although we have no details on timing, it seems likely that these transfers were necessary in a period when heavy losses in individual battalions meant there was a continual need for reinforcement. It seems likely that Private Calladine arrived in France in the early months of 1917. In March, 10th Battalion received reinforcements of over 150 men in preparation for action around Arras. In April, in heavy snowfall, the battalion moved into trenches at Arras, facing heavy enemy shelling for several days. During this month, the battalion suffered over 80 casualties and received over 130 reinforcements. In May 1917, 10th Battalion was involved in an unsuccessful attack on trenches at Gavrelle resulting in the majority of the casualties during that month - 16 officers and 241 other ranks. During the first 20 days of June, the Battalion took in reinforcements of 13 Officers and 129 other ranks and was engaged in extensive training exercises. On 21st June, the battalion relieved the 27th Northumberland Fusiliers in trenches in the Gavrelle Line, near Fampoux to the east of Arras. Private Calladine who was killed in action on the 23rd of June, was one of fifteen casualties during the month as a whole9. As his body was never identified, Private Calladine is remembered on the Arras Memorial, in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, which commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, and have no known grave10. He was posthumously awarded the Victory Medal and the British Medal11. Ernest's Army financial effects of £2 7s 9d were paid to his mother, his sole legatee, on 14 November 1917 and she received his War Gratuity of £4 on 21 November 191912. Ernest's connection with Beeston appears to be that, in 1917, Ezekiel Beardsley, whose wife Thirza had died in 1915, was living at 3 Evelyn Street, Beeston, in all probability with Elizabeth Calladine, having obtained work as a labourer at Beeston Foundry13, although their time there appears to have been relatively short. In 1939, they were together in the Ilkeston area14 and married there in 194115. Ezekiel died in 1944, aged 8816 William Edward Calladine remained in America for the rest of his life. In November 1917, he married Annie Noble Gourley and raised a second family. By 1921, when he applied for Naturalisation, they had moved to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where he continued to work as a lace maker. He died on 8 October 1939 and is buried in West Warwick, Rhode Island17. Footnotes 1The photograph of the Arras Memorial is from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. (http://www.cwgc.org) 2His birth was registered in Derby Registration District in Q2/1894 (Ref 7b 573). 31901 Census, Piece 3152 Folio 48. 4A report on the desertion proceedings appeared in the Nottingham Evening Post on 16 November 1899. His bankruptcy was reported in the Derby Evening Telegraph on 16 August 1900. 4He arrived in New York on 1 May 1910 on the 'Arabic', out of Liverpool. 61911 Census, Piece 20835 RD434 SD4 ED14 Sched 373. 7Calculated based on the amount of his War Gratuity 8See his entry in 'Soldiers Died in the Great War' and in the Medal Rolls. 9This account of 10th Battalion's involvement in the Arras offensives is based on its war diaries. 10This description of the Arras Memorial is based on that included in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. 11Ernest's medal awards are recorded in the Medal Rolls, available on ancestry.com. 12Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929, available on ancestry.com. 13Beeston Foundry/Boiler Company Employee records. They have not been found on the Beeston Electoral Roll for 1921. 141939 Register, available on Findmypast.co.uk 15Their marriage was registered in Ilkeston Registration District in Q3/1941 (Ref 7b 1721). It is possible that they waited until after the death of William Edward Calladine, although it is not known whether ther had been any contact after his arrival in America. 16His death was registered in Ilkeston Registration District in Q4/1944 (Ref 7b 564). The date of Elizabeth's death has not been identified with any certainty. 17This brief account of his life in America is summarised from a variety of records available on ancestry.com. His marriage was in Manhattan New York City on 28 November 1917. By 1921, they were living at 185 Marigold St, Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He and Annie are buried in St Philips Episcopal Cemetery, West Warwick, Kent County, RI. Their memorial can be seen at http://rihistoriccemeteries.org/newgravedetails.aspx?ID=318220. |
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