Ernest McNamara 18th Battalion

18th Bttn C Coy IX Pln – Book of Honour

Ernest McNamara was killed in action at Montauban on 1st July 1916. His great niece introduced herself on the GUEST BOOK and asked if there may be further information on Ernest and his brother Arthur.

For Anne Warn these pages from the City Battalions Roll of Honour show Ernest in IX Platoon of C Company.  If Anne has a portrait of him, it would be great if you could identify the man in photo.  For other possible records, I firmly recommend asking the experts on The Manchester Regiment Group Forum.

18th Bttn IX Pln Roll of Honour

The Manchesters website includes painstaking research of the men from the Regiment reported killed on 1st July 1916 and included in the 1st Anniversary of the Somme 1st July 1917 edition of the Manchester Evening News.  These entries were made for Ernest and include a reference to Arthur:-

McNAMARA – In loving memory of our dear brother
ERNEST (10555) Manchester Regiment (3rd Pals), killed
in action July 1st, 1916.
ROBERT, SUSIE, and ARTHUR (in France).

The Roll of Honour includes an entry to an E McNamara who enlisted in the City Battalions as part of the group system.   It is quite likely Ernest worked for Horrockses Crewdson & Co Ltd

I’ll have a scout around some other resources and add to this post if I find anything more.

I heard the Last Post from a bugler at Thiepval Memorial yesterday morning.  This is where Anne will see Ernest’s name inscribed in the stone panel.  We’re off to Ypres today where I will see Arthur’s name at Tyne Cot and my Grandad’s cousin at Harlebeke.