Senior Section Sergeant Ernest Frederick Hammond DCM
Royal Engineers (RE), Service Number 510308, formerly Labour Corps Service Number 706658
Date of Birth: 13th of April 1882
Place of Birth: Teignmouth, Devon
Date of Death: 27th of August 1967
Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
In 1881, Ernest and his family were living at Bickfords Lane, West Teignmouth. His father, Frederick, was a mason and his mother's first name was Frances or Fanny. Ernest had a sister, Lilian F, 1883.
Ernest married Eva Elizabeth Bond on the 9th of July 1904.
In 1911, Ernest and Eva were living at 24, Alexandra Terrace, Teignmouth. They had two sons, Stanley, 1906, and Ronald, 1911, plus daughter, Irene, 1908. Florence Bond, 1890, Eva's sister, was staying with the family.
In 1915, in response to German mining of British trenches under the then static siege conditions of World War One, the corps formed its own tunneling companies. Manned by experienced coal miners from across the country, they operated with great success until 1917, when after the fixed positions broke, they built deep dugouts such as the Vampire dugout to protect troops from heavy shelling.
By 1 August 1917, it had grown to a total of 295668. It was twelve times bigger than the peacetime establishment.
From October 1916 the Royal Engineers had been working underground, constructing tunnels for the troops in preparation for the Battle of Arras in 1917. Beneath Arras itself, there is a vast network of caverns called the "boves", consisting of underground quarries and sewage tunnels.
Royal Engineers bridging a stream - National Army Museum, Out of Copyright
The engineers came up with a plan to add new tunnels to this network so that troops could arrive at the battlefield in secrecy and in safety. The size of the excavation was immense. In one sector alone four Tunnel Companies of 500 men each worked around the clock in 18-hour shifts for two months.
Royal Engineers tunneling - National Army Museum, Out of Copyright
The award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to 510308 Sergeant Ernest Frederick Hammond of the Royal Engineers was gazetted 23 October 1918.
From The London Gazette 23 October 1918
AWARD OF THE DCM TO SERGEANT MAJOR HAMMOND
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as senior section Sergeant. His untiring efforts in all operations in which his brigade has been engaged have materially helped to maintain communications. At all times he has shown an excellent example to all ranks."
In 1920, Ernest and Eva were living at Allt-Yr-Yn, Exeter Road, Teignmouth.
In 1939, Ernest Eva and three children were living at the same address, Allt-Yr-Yn, Exeter Road, Speranza Grove, Teignmouth. Eva A J Hammond, 1908, Woollen Stores Shop Keeper Clerk, Freda F Hammond, 1912 Female Woollen Stores Shop Keeper, and Dudley G C Hammond, 1917, Local Authority Institution.
Ernest Frederick Hammond died on the 27th of August 1967 at Teignmouth Hospital.
