Ernest Rimmington was the son of Charles and Amelia Rimmington of Cottesmore and was born on 21 October 1895. Before the war he worked for Midland Railways as a dining car attendant. Ernest enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery on 3 September 1914, and went to France in July 1915, serving with C Battery 91st Brigade. In the middle of September 1916 the brigade moved from the Ypres area to take part in the Battle of the Somme. It joined 56th Division artillery in front of Combles and engaged in a heavy bombardment to help an infantry attack on Morval and Lesboeufs. Shortly afterwards the brigade went into action again east of Delville Wood near Ginchy. On 2 October 1916 the brigade war diary recorded: "Engaged in improvement of positions, weather still unfavourable, guns firing as normal, enemy artillery particularly active, Brigade HQ and B/91 battery being heavily shelled." Ernest was severely wounded in this bombardment and died the next day from his injuries. His Commanding Officer wrote: "I was afraid he had no chance of recovery as his wounds were too severe, but in spite of them he was most cheerful, and behaved splendidly like the gallant fellow he was. He was deservedly popular with officers and men, and we miss him greatly." Ernest was 20 and now lies buried in Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe, grave V.B.46, and is remembered on Cottesmore's war memorial.

See where all our Rutland soldiers died during the Battle of the Somme on our interactive map.