Acting Bombardier 109340 Emile Mayer of No.3 Fire Command, Royal Garrison Artillery, was born 1882 at Eccles, Lancashire, the son of Daniel and Alice Mayer.

In 1901, the family were living in Collington Lane Bexhill. Daniel, aged 44 was born in 1857 in Germany and was a piano manufacturer. Alice, was born in Guernsey in 1862. Children recorded are Millicent, aged 23, born on Guernsey, Emile, aged 18, was born at Eccles and Rudolph, aged 15, was born at Hollington. The family had two servants – Agnes Parsons, aged 34, born at Hollington and Ethel Streeter, aged 25, born at Newington, London. 

In the 1911 census, he was boarding at 46 Leinster Gardens, Paddington and was a Commerce warehouse worker.

He enlisted at Kensington Middlesex, on the 26th of February 1916 and was posted to the reserve, the following day, and was mobilized on the 20th of July. The following day he was posted, as a Gunner, to “B” Siege Depot.

He was appointed Bombardier on the 30th of October, this rank was substantiated on the 15th of November.

On the 11th of December he was appointed Acting Corporal, this was backdated to the 10th of November.

A posting, as a full Corporal, to 285 Siege Battery, came his way on the 24th of February 1917; he was attached to 37 Company, as an Acting Corporal on the 28th of March.

The following part of his record is very difficult to read but he was posted to 87 Company RGA, Portsmouth, July (?) 1918, and had reverted to Acting Bombardier.

It would seem that Emile never served overseas and died of influenza and bronchial pneumonia at the 5th Southern General Hospital at New Milton, Portsmouth on the 15th of October 1918 at around 9.05 am. A telegram records that “relatives were present”. Emile had suffered from ill health for some time as he had spent two periods of time in hospital with chronic bronchitis during May and August 1917.