Born 26th March 1888 – Died 1st February 1918

7th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment

Ernest and Charles Mardle, twin sons of George Henry and Elizabeth (née Smart) Mardle were born at Cromer Hyde on the 26th March 1888 and baptised at St.John's church, Lemsford the same day. This was George & Elizabeth's second set of twins - Harry and Alfred had been born in 1880. In the 1881 Census their older sister Eleanor, aged 13, is noted as being a mother's help and would have been much needed. They also had a younger brother, Frank, whose name is on the Lemsford War Memorial. Ernest and Charles attended Lemsford School from 1892 to 1902 when they left to work on a farm.

Ernest Mardle enlisted at Hertford in October 1914 and joined the 7th Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment as Private G/15596. The Battalion landed at Boulogne on the 31st May 1915.

Private G/15596 Ernest Mardle was killed on the 1st February 1918 and is buried in grave I. D. 8 of the Croix-du-Bac British Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord, France which is about 5 miles south-west of Armentieres The 7th Bn. Sussex Regiment had been involved at Cambrai from the 30th November 1917 to the 3rd December repelling a German counter attack 30 Nov-3 Dec 1917 and then from the 24th to the 25th March 1918 at the First Battle of Bapaume.

His obituary in the Herts Advertiser & St. Albans Times, Saturday March 9th 1918 reads:- 'Pte. Ernest Mardle, aged 29, Sussex Regiment, single, a twin son of Mr and Mrs George Mardle, Cromer Hyde near Hatfield and brother of Mr Harry Mardle, Alexandra Road, St. Albans was killed in France on February 1st. He joined the Army in October 1914, had been in France for over two years and had been twice wounded. His last leave was taken towards the close of last year and he returned to France on Christmas Day. He was formerly a farm labourer at Water End, near Wheathampstead. His younger brother, Bombardier Frank Mardle, Herts Artillery, was killed in France in June 1916.' Capt. Campbell in a letter to his relatives state that Pte Mardle was killed instantaneously while he was doing his duty like a good soldier. “I can only state” the writer adds “how much I sympathise with you in your loss and say that both the officers and men feel the same .... It may comfort you a little to think that no man can give his life better than your son did and I am certain he gave it willingly in the service of his country”

Attended St Johns School March 21st 1892 – May 29th 1902

LEMSFORD WAR MEMORIAL 1914 - 1918

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR