Some Statistics Relating To The Ely Market Place Names
The first Ely men to arrive at the Front in World War One were the members of the regular army and reservists, these were followed by the young men of the territorial army and the first volunteers. Out of a local male population of just under 4,000, approximately 20% had enlisted by mid-1915. With the arrival of conscription in April 1916, others soon followed their friends and relatives to the Front.
There are 224 casualty names on the Ely Market Place Memorial from World War One, the majority of which are of young unmarried men in their twenties, just embarking on their lives and careers. What would life in Ely have been like if they had survived? What destinies weren’t fulfilled? Which families died out as a result of these young deaths?
Here are some general statistics about these men who failed to come home:
Letters home to grieving relatives from officers and chaplains gave a sanitised view of the conflict; men died “without pain” and “instantaneously” and those who had the misfortune to linger on and die of wounds “suffered bravely” and “never complained” and it would seem that every one of these casualties was “popular” and a “good soldier” or a “brave boy” or similar. Perhaps the words did comfort the bereaved - did the families believe them?
Many of the men named on the memorial have no known grave and are recorded on one of the great memorials to the missing such as the Menin Gate at Ypres. Statistically, 49% of these men are likely to be buried as “an unknown soldier” in one of the great CWGC cemeteries. It is known that some of those numbered amongst the missing were, at the time of their deaths, buried in small cemeteries just behind the line of trenches and their graves were marked at that point.
And – just for interest – two of the men on the memorial are great grandsons of leaders of the Littleport Riots who were hanged in Ely on 28th June 1816. These were Herbert Beamiss, descendant of William Beamiss, and Horace Dennis, descendant of John Denniss. The rioters are buried in an unmarked grave in the St Mary’s churchyard in Ely, and commemorated with a memorial on the tower, while the two young soldiers have no known grave.
There are 224 casualty names on the Ely Market Place Memorial from World War One, the majority of which are of young unmarried men in their twenties, just embarking on their lives and careers. What would life in Ely have been like if they had survived? What destinies weren’t fulfilled? Which families died out as a result of these young deaths?
Here are some general statistics about these men who failed to come home:
- At least 67 of the 224 men were farmworkers when they enlisted, as would be expected in a rural area such as the Isle of Ely.
- We do not know how many of the young men had sweethearts, but 59 of the soldiers left widows and 84 children were left fatherless. The worst affected family was that of Henry Saberton, who had eight young children.
- A significant number of the early volunteers from the farming community were teenagers – 25 of the names on the memorial are of young men still in their teens when they died. The youngest man was 17 year old Reginald Morriss.
- Apart from the farming community, the largest group of people affected were Great Eastern Railways employees – 22 of the dead either worked for GER or came from a family of GER workers.
- The three areas of the City of Ely that saw the most casualties were the streets near the river and railway station – Broad Street, Annesdale, Waterside, Back Hill and the small lanes off these roads- West Fen, and High Barns. These were poorer areas of the City.
- 15 families lost more than one son – the worst affected being the Parker McGees of Stuntney who lost four of their young men. 5 couples lost their only child and 11 more lost their only son.
- 5 of those named on the memorial never served overseas.
- 4 of the men had emigrated, and as a consequence 3 served with the Canadian forces and 1 with the Australians.
- Ely’s worst day was 1st July 1916, the first day of the Somme, when 8 men died
- There are only two sailors on the memorial (John Granfield and Edgar Pamment), but in fact one sailor and two soldiers died at sea.
- 2 of those named on the memorial committed suicide.
- Where the exact cause of death is known, most men on the memorial died as a result of enemy shelling. This is to be expected, as it is known that about 70% of British casualties were the victims of enemy shells.
- 8 men listed on the memorial died after the Armistice – two from wounds and 6 as a result of the influenza pandemic which swept through Europe at the end of 1918 / beginning of 1919. Several others died of influenza / pneumonia earlier in 1918 while the conflict was still underway.
- Currently two of the men on the memorial have not been identified – C Jones and G Wise – any information on these soldiers would be appreciated.
Letters home to grieving relatives from officers and chaplains gave a sanitised view of the conflict; men died “without pain” and “instantaneously” and those who had the misfortune to linger on and die of wounds “suffered bravely” and “never complained” and it would seem that every one of these casualties was “popular” and a “good soldier” or a “brave boy” or similar. Perhaps the words did comfort the bereaved - did the families believe them?
Many of the men named on the memorial have no known grave and are recorded on one of the great memorials to the missing such as the Menin Gate at Ypres. Statistically, 49% of these men are likely to be buried as “an unknown soldier” in one of the great CWGC cemeteries. It is known that some of those numbered amongst the missing were, at the time of their deaths, buried in small cemeteries just behind the line of trenches and their graves were marked at that point.
And – just for interest – two of the men on the memorial are great grandsons of leaders of the Littleport Riots who were hanged in Ely on 28th June 1816. These were Herbert Beamiss, descendant of William Beamiss, and Horace Dennis, descendant of John Denniss. The rioters are buried in an unmarked grave in the St Mary’s churchyard in Ely, and commemorated with a memorial on the tower, while the two young soldiers have no known grave.
