Ernest Frederick Docking
The soldier:
Ernest Frederick Docking enlisted into the army in Norwich, Norfolk. He was assigned to the Bedfordshire Regiment and given regimental number 29310.
He was killed on Thursday 7th June 1917, whilst serving as a Private in that regiment’s 2nd Battalion. He was 37 years old.
Ernest Frederick Docking’s name is inscribed on Panel 31 and 33 of the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
His name is also inscribed on both Snettisham’s war memorials and its ‘Roll of Honour’.
The man:
Ernest Frederick Docking was born in June 1880 in Little Fransham, Norfolk. His parents were John (aged 30) and Eliza Docking (aged 28 – nee Ward).
Ernest had several older siblings. In the 1881 census he was living with his parents at an address ‘by turnpike, little fransham’ with; Mary D Ward (sister -bn. c. 1870), James Docking (bn. c. 1875), William Docking (bn. c 1877) and Anna Maud Docking (bn. c. 1879). John’s occupation was recorded as ‘Agricultural labourer’.
Ernest was baptised on the 25th June 1882 in Little Fransham. His name being recorded at this time as ‘Frederick William Docking’ (same parents recorded).
Over the next few years his parents had more children; Louisa Docking (bn. c. 1882), Edith Docking (bn. 30th June 1885) and Henry (Harry) Docking (bn. 12th June 1890). All these siblings being born in Fransham.
By the 1891 census the family were still living in Fransham. John was now 44 and Eliza 42. James was 19, Frederick 12, Louisa 15, Edith 6 and Henry ‘Harry’ 10 months old.
We know that the family moved to Snettisham, Norfolk shortly after this as Edith Docking, born Fransham, daughter of John Docking was enrolled in Snettisham School on the 17th September 1892 and remained at this school for her entire schooling (Taken from contemporaneous school register -as school still existing as Snettisham’s primary school). Edith’s brother Harry also become a pupil at the school on the 1st June 1898.
In April 1900, Ernest’s father John Docking died in Snettisham, being buried in St. Mary’s churchyard. Ernest was 20 years old.
Tragically, we now know that the Docking’s had had a grandson, Harry just 3 months previously on the 17th January 1900. Harry later joining Snettisham school on the 16th September 1907.
By the 1901 census, the family were living at ‘Paper Hall’ Cottage, Snettisham. Eliza was 49 and recorded as a ‘widow’. Frederick was 21 and the oldest child living at home. His occupation being listed as ‘agricultural labourer’. Also at the address were Louisa, now 19, Harry now 12, John now 1 (John Harry) and a John Ashley who was listed as a boarder.
By the 1911 census the family were living at No.6 Malt House Yard, Snettisham. Ernest Frederick was 31 and now the ‘head of the household’. His occupation being recorded as ‘farm labourer’. His mother Eliza was 64 and living with him, as was his brother Henry Docking (aged 21 and also a farm labourer) and Eliza’s grandson John Harry, who was still at school. Whilst Ernest’s name is recorded as Frederick on the census return heading- causing a degree of ‘first glance’ confusion- he has signed at the bottom as Ernest Frederick Docking – confirming his true identity.
Ernest Frederick Docking is shown still living in Snettisham in the 1914 electoral register.
After Private 29310 Ernest Frederick Dockeng of the Bedfordshire Regiment’s death on the 7th June 1917, army records show his personal effects as going to ‘mother Eliza’. When this record is examined properly it can be seen that the ‘e’ is in fact a dotted ‘i’ which has been transcribed wrongly, both this and the mother’s name confirming this to Ernest Frederick Docking of Snettisham.
In a separate army record (WW1 Service Medals and awards) Private, regimental number 29310, Bedfordshire Regiment is recorded as Ernest Frederick DOCKING giving further weight to the above identity.
There is one final issue of concern re the correct posthumous recording of Ernest Frederick Docking’s details. Despite having exactly the same regimental number, battalion, regiment, date and place of death the ‘soldiers died in the great war’ record shows Ernest Frederick’s surname as ‘Dockering’ and the Commonwealth War Graves commission as ‘Dockring’.
This file and the supporting research has been submitted to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to get the records amended to show Ernest Frederick correctly as ‘Docking’.
Eliza, Ernest Frederick’s mother died in December 1936, aged 87. she is buried in St. Mary’s churchyard, Snettisham.
