12th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
Ernest Cyphus was born in Sherborne, Gloucestershire and baptised there on 10 August 1890.
He was the son of James Cyphus, an Agricultural Labourer (Cowman), and Ann Marie (née Masters). His siblings were Alfred (1864), Francis (1872), William Robert (1874), James (1877), Albert (1883), Leonard (1886), Beatrice (1888), and Bertie (1891), On 7 June 1914, he married Louisa Ann Taylor at the Parish Church, Sherborne, and they had a son, Lionel Wilfred who was born on 4 July 1916.
In 1925 his wife remarried William Hayward, and they lived at 38 Sherborne, Northleach.
Ernest enlisted as a Private in the 12th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own) at Hilsea, Portsmouth. He had formerly served with the Royal Field Artillery when his service number was 183772.
He was awarded the British and Victory medals. His death, aged 27 years, of nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys) contracted on active service, occurred on 11 October 1917 at the 1st London General Hospital.
The Territorial Force General Hospital took over St Gabriel’s College in Cormont Road, London in August 1914, and Cormont Secondary School next door for convalescent cases.
Ernest was buried in the Sherborne Churchyard Extension which is owned by St Mary Magdalene’s Church. A standard CWGC headstone marks his grave. He is commemorated on the Sherborne War Memorial. A Roll of Honour for the Sherborne men who served in the Great War is held in St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Sherborne.
Researched by Baden Russell May 2021