Edward Henry Bonser

He was the son of William Bonser a groom, born 1871 in Colston Bassett, Notts., and his wife Lucy, born 1871 in Harby, Leics. Edward Henry was born in 1895 in Long Clawson, Leics., his siblings were Fred, born 1893 in Harby, Leics., and Harold, born 1898 in Long Clawson, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at Main Street, Long Clawson, Leics. In April 1911 Edward was employed as a farm cow boy and was residing at Brockhill Farm, Hose, Melton Mowbray, Leics. In the October, November, December quarter of 1914 Edward married Elsie Edna Sharpe in the Melton Mowbray, Leics., registration district. Edward drowned at sea (from H.T. Ivernia). On Friday January 19th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. "HOSE" LOST AT SEA – Much sympathy is expressed with Mrs E. H. Bonser, who has received the sad news that her husband Gunner E. H. Bonser, had been lost at sea on a ship which was sunk by the enemy. Gunner Bonser is a son of Mr and Mrs William Bonser, of Long Clawson, for whom also much sympathy is felt. On Friday February 16th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. "LONG CLAWSON" – MEMORIAL SERVICE. – The Rev. C. T. Lander conducted a memorial service to Pte. E. H. Bonser in the Wesleyan Church on Sunday evening. He made a touching reference to the deceased, who was lost at sea by the sinking of the Ivernia on January 1st. The service was most impressive. On Friday April 13th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. "LOCAL MEN IN THE CASUALTY LISTS" Sunday's list included:- MISSING, BELIEVED DROWNED ON THE TRANSPORT IVERNIA. MACHINE GUN CORPS. Bonser, 59627 E. H. (Melton Mowbray). SS Ivernia: On 1 January 1917, the  Ivernia  was carrying some 2,400 British troops from Marseille to Alexandria, when at 10:12 am she was torpedoed by the German submarine  UB-47  58 miles south-east of Cape Matapan in Greece, in the Kythira Strait. The ship went down fairly quickly with a loss of 36 crew members and 84 troops. Captain Turner, who had been criticised for not going down with the  Lusitania  (even though he had believed he was the last person on board), remained on the bridge until all aboard had departed in lifeboats and rafts "before striking out to swim as the vessel went down under his feet." HMS  Rifleman  rescued a number of survivors and armed trawlers towed the bulk, who had taken to lifeboats, to Suda Bay in Crete. Today Ivernia Road in Walton in Liverpool still bears the name of the doomed vessel.