Ernest Charteris Black

Second Lieutenant Ernest Charteris Black, initially joined 2nd battalion King Edward's Horse in 1914 and was commissioned into 7th Royal Scots Fusiliers in Spring 1915. He was killed in action when his position was shelled on 22nd November 1915. He is buried in Vermelles British Cemetery (grave ref. I.C.3)

News of the death in action of a former student at Nottingham Boys' High School was published on 29th November 1915 in the Nottingham Daily Express :- Second Lieutenant Ernest Charteris Black, 7th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, was killed in action when his position was shelled on 22nd November 1915. He is buried in Vermelles British Cemetery.“THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.“Another Nottingham High School “Old Boy” Killed in Action.“Another “Old Boy” of the Nottingham High School has fallen in action. He is Lieutenant and Machine-gun Officer Ernest Charteris Black, of the 7th Royal Scots Fusiliers.“Lieutenant Black was the second son of Mr. J. Buyers Black, a few years ago, was well known in Nottingham.“He was educated at the Nottingham High School under Dr. Gow, and subsequently became a chartered accountant, being articled to Messrs. Wyllie, Guild, Ballantine, Glasgow. Subsequently, Lieutenant Black had experience in the American and Canadian offices of Messrs. Price, Waterhouse, and Co., and eventually came to London.“At the outbreak of the war, he joined the 2nd King Edward's Horse, but obtained his commission with the 7th Royal Scots Fusiliers last spring. He joined the Expeditionary Force about two months ago. Lieutenant Black was aged 31.”A further article was published on 27th November 1915 in The Scotsman newspaper :- A GLASGOW OFFICER KILLED. “Intimation was reserved last night [26th November 1915] by Mr James Buyers Black, Jane Street, Blythswood Square, Glasgow, that his son, Second Lieutenant Ernest Charteris Black, machine gun officer, of the 7th Royal Scots Fusiliers, was killed on the Western front on November 2. Lieutenant Black, who was thirty-one years of age, and a chartered accountant by profession, was educated at Nottingham High School under Dr. Gow, now headmaster of Westminster School; at Halle, Germany; and at Glasgow University. He served his apprenticeship with Messrs Wyllie, Guild & Ballantyne chartered accountants, Glasgow, and Messrs Richard Brown & Co., C . A ., Edinburgh. Thereafter he became associated with Messrs Pryce, Waterhouse, & Co., C.A. in their New York and Canadian branches, and in 1913 he joined the London office of that firm. A few days before the war broke out he was offered by the directors of the Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa the post of chief accountant. At the outbreak of the war he joined the 2nd King Edward Horse as a trooper, and last spring was appointed Second Lieutenant in the 7th Royal Scots Fusiliers. He proceeded to the front about two mouths ago, and had been on regular duty in the trenches since. Two brothers of Lieutenant Black's have been nominated for commissions. Lieutenant Black was a grandson of the late Rev. James Black, of Dunnikier United Free Church, Kirkcaldy.” Above articles are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 His two brothers who also served were Lieutenant Colin Charteris Black, Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry and Second Lieutenant Howard Charteris Black, Highland Light Infantry and Royal Air Force (born Nottingham 15th August 1897).