LCpl. Ernest Alfred Le Cren

Ernest Alfred Le Cren was born at Melbourne in Victoria, Australia on 22 August 1867. He was the son of William Le Cren (1833-1883) and Ellen Le Cren (nee Sullivan) (1842-1879) who had married in Victoria in 1860. When he was just five years old, in March 1873, Ernest and his siblings were removed from the family and made wards of the State. Whether this was from neglect, or whether his mother was already ill, is not yet known. His mother, Ellen, died six years later, on 29 May 1879. Soon afterwards his father William must have immigrated to New Zealand as he died in Wellington on 21 November 1883, and was buried in the Bolton Street Cemetery. Ernest also immigrated to New Zealand as on 26 September 1891 he married Elizabeth Mabel Ferguson in Wellington. Ernest worked as the Inspector of Factories under the Labour Department. His oldest son Hubert Ernest Le Cren was serving during World War I (Service No. WWI 1/691) when he as invalided home from Samoa. Ernest then enlisted (Service No. WWI 24/2021) and was sent overseas where he met up with his other son who was also serving, Leslie William Le Cren (Service No. WWI 11/2142). Ernest was killed in action at the Somme at the age of 49, on 21 September 1916. He was buried in the Warlencourt British Cemetery [VIII. E. 45.]. His son Hubert left to serve for a second time, and was killed in action at Bapaume on 26 August 1918. He was buried in the Favreuil British Cemetery [I. D. 8.] in France. At this time, Leslie was reported as 'dangerously ill' in France with dysentery. His mother, Elizabeth, appealed for him to be returned home as she had lost both her husband and son. However, Leslie wasn't discharged as 'no long physically fit for service overseas' until 17 April 1919. Elizabeth died on 28 December 1935 and was buried in Karori Cemetery in Wellington. Leslie lived in Canada and died there on 17 September 1954 (bio by Debbie McCauley, 5 February 2022).

Sources

1. Cenotaph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...
2. New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sooty/genealogy/nzefrohL.html / Ref 11.4.2021
3. Victoria, Australia, Index to the Children's Registers of State Wards, 1850 -1893