9th Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Ernest George Hobby was born at Stone on 19 August 1898, the son of Henry (a farm worker) and his wife, Martha Kate (née Cook). He was one of eight children. The family lived at Moorslade, Falfield and at the time of the 1911 Census were living at Chestnut Cottage, Lower Stone.
Unfortunately no Army Service Record has survived for Ernest Hobby. However, such military records that have survived indicate that he initially served as a Gunner (number 164589) with the Royal Horse/ Royal Field Artillery and thereafter with the 8th Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI), before transferring to their 9th Battalion.
The fact that he was only three months beyond his 19th birthday when he died perhaps indicate that when enlisting in the Army he had declared himself older than his true years. Officially he would not have been able to be posted abroad until he was 19. However, it is possible that he served with the Royal Artillery in the UK and was posted to the 8th KOYLI, staying with them for the briefest of periods before transfer to the 9th. In the absence of any detailed service information, this cannot be verified.
He died in the 5th Northern General Hospital at Leicester on 8 November 1917. If his death was the result of wounds then it is likely that the wounding occurred when the 9th KOYLI (part of 64 Brigade, 21 Division) was engaged in either the Battle of Broodseinde on 4 October 1917 or the Battle of Polygon Wood from 26 September to 3 October 1917.Both these battles were part of the overall offensive of ‘Third Ypres’, more familiarly known as ‘Passchendaele’.
He was brought for burial to Stone (All Saints) Churchyard, where a standard CWGC headstone marks his grave. He is commemorated on the Stone War Memorial. His great nephew was the collator of the names to be inscribed on the Memorial.
Researched by Graham Adams 10 May 2018