R C Ennor

Reginald Charles Ennor

Born 1891 in Newquay, Cornwall.  Died of wounds 10 October 1916, Leeds Hospital, Leeds.  

No. 6468 Pte 3/7th City of London Regiment (formerly No. 24601 9th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry

Reginald Ennor was a part of a well-known Newquay family.  I believe that his grandfather was John Ennor Snr who was responsible for the building of a great deal of Victorian Newquay.  His father was John Ennor Jnr (who I had problems finding on Census returns - a transcriber has mistaken "Jnr" for the surname "Jrit" and indexed it accordingly!) and his mother Maria.  On the 1881 Census John and Maria are intriguing living at "Fancy Shop" - Maria being the proprieter of the establishment. 

Reginald enlisted in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and was attached to the 9th Battalion.  This was a Reserve Battalion, raised at Falmouth in October 1914.  In September 1916 the Reserve Battalions were reorganised and as a result the 9th was absorbed into the Training Reserve of the 10th Reserve Brigade. Presumably at this point Reginald was attached to the 3/7th Battalion of the London Regiment.

The 7th Battalion was nicknamed the "Shiny Seventh" and arrived in France in March 1915 with 4th London Brigade, 2nd London Division.  If Reginald joined them in September 1916 and died the following month it is likely he received his wounds at either the Battles of High Wood or Butte de Warlencourt - as he had time to be evacuated to the military hospital at Leeds, it seems likely to have been the former.

Reginald's family brought his body back to Newquay for burial; he lies in the town cemetery.  His mother died the following year, his father continued to live on Tower Road (this is misspelt on the Commonwealth War Graves site as "Lower Road") for a number of years. 

There are still a number of Ennors living in Newquay.

Update 18 July 2011

I have found some more information about Reginald from the Cornish Guardian dated 20 October 1916.  According to the article Reginald was "highly respected by all who knew him".  He apparently excelled as a high diver and football player.  His death at Leeds Military Hospital was due to wounds received in battle.  Reginald's brother Hubert was at the front serving as a QSM with the Durham Light Infantry.

There is a photograph of Reginald, which I will obtain when I visit the Cornish Studies Library.