17/08/2026
Exminster Victory Hall was pleased to welcome Bruce Thomadsen, who visited to pay his respects to his family member, Ernest Reeves England, who is named on the village war memorial.
Ernest was related to the Challice family, village Blacksmiths at Manleigh House.
Ernest, born in Lapford, later moved to Exminster, where he worked as an asylum attendant at the Devon County Lunatic Asylum. He lived with his wife in South View, Exminster.
During the First World War, Ernest served with the Royal Army Medical Corps, 107th Field Ambulance.
He died on 27th March 1918, aged 47 years, and is buried in Warloy Baillon Communal Cemetery, Somme, France.
Lest We Forget.