| Date of birth: | 1896 |
| Place of birth: | Brentford |
| Service No.: | 653375 |
| Rank: | Rifleman |
| Regiment: | London Regiment Surrey Rifles |
| Battalion: | B Coy. 1 / 21st |
| Died: | 8th October 1916 aged 20 years |
| Death location: | France |
Life before the War
Ernest was the second of 6 children born to parents Henry Ernest (1873-23/1/1929) and Adaline, nee Shepherd (1873-18/4/1953). Henry was born in Surrey and Adaline in London. They married on the 18th March 1894 in Fulham, London.
Ernest’s 5 siblings – 2 sisters and 3 brothers – were:
Adelaide Ernestine was born 1895 in Brentford. She was baptised on 23rd October 1895. She died in 1971 in Brighton
Winifred Mary was born 1901 in Barnstaple and died in 1980. Married William A Osborne in 1927.
Arthur Frederick was born 1903 in Barnstaple and died in 1967 in S0uthampton. He married Emma M Webb in 1930 in Southampton.
Leslie Eric was born 1906 in Barnstaple. He married Norah Kathleen Trenerry in 1931 in Southampton. Leslie was killed as a civilian in WW2. He was a First aid post member and died at Southern Railway carriage works in Eastleigh on 19th January 1941.
Ronald Neil was also born in 1906 in Barnstaple and died in 1907.
Census records
In 1901 Ernest was living with his family in Tavistock, Devon. His father is a Telegraphist, Goods and Traffic clerk at a railway.
By the time of the 1911 census the family had moved and were living at Station House, Tresmeer, Cornwall. Henry was working as Station Master.
Railway employment records show Henry Ernest Gaiger was transferred to work at Bitterne station on 11th May 1916 – presumably this was when the family moved to Southampton.
The same records show Ernest Evelyn Keith Gaiger working as a Junior Clerk in the goods department, Nine Elms in October 1913 aged 17 years and 3 months. He was earning £30 a year which the following year went up to £40.
Probates
“Gaiger, Henry Ernest of 117 Macnaghten Road, Southampton, died 23 January 1929 at 1a Chilworth Road, Southampton. Administration Winchester 12 February to Adeline Gaiger, widow . Effects £453 0s.10d.”
“Gaiger, Leslie Eric of 56 Kipling Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire died 19 january 1941 at Southern Railway Carriage Works, Eastleigh Administration Winchester 28 February to Nora Kathleen Gaiger widow. Effects £911 5s. 10d.”
“Gaiger, Adeline of107 Church St, Shirley Southampton widow, died18 April 1953 atthe General Hospital Southampton. Administration Winchester 18 May to Arthur Frederick Gaiger commercial clerk. Effects £303 5s.11d.”
War Service
Thiepval Memorial, France
Railway employment records show that Ernest volunteered for military service 20th October 1914. Ernest served as a Private with the London Regiment Surrey Rifles 1/21st battalion. Ernest Evelyn Keith Gaiger was reported as missing presumed dead on 8th October 1916 and his effects left to his father. Ernest is remembered with honour on the Thiepval memorial.
| Researcher: | Amy Wiles |
| Published: | 29th July 2015 |
| Updated: | Insert dates here |
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