Ernest Keller (1887-1917)
Apprentice from Bishop Auckland served with 6th DLI buried in Cologne
Ernest Keller, the son of Matthew and Sarah Annie Keller, was born in South Church, Bishop Auckland on 20 September 1887. He had three brothers and two sisters and lived in the Auckland area until he enlisted in the 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (DLI). In the summer of 1911 he married Jane A Craggs in Lanchester and they had three daughters.
Nothing has been found of his military service, but at some stage he was promoted to lance-corporal and on 16 April 1917 he was wounded and captured by the enemy, probably in the fighting at Arras. He was sent to the prisoner of war (POW) camp at Mulheim and died in the hospital there on 27 April. He was buried in the local cemetery but was subsequently re-interred in the Cologne Southern Cemetery.
https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Details/1574249/3/2/
https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/34600/cologne-southern-cemetery/
Civil Parish: Auckland St. Andrew
Birth date: 2 -Sep-1887
Death date: 27-Apr-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Main Street, Auckland, Durham (1891 census)
Riley House, Auckland Road, Auckland, Durham (1901 census)
Employment: Joiner’s Apprentice (1901 census)
Family: Father: Matthew Keller
Mother: Sarah Annie Keller (nee Peart)
Siblings: Joseph, Florence Annie, Henry, Joseph & Sarah A Keller
Wife: Jane A Keller (nee Craggs)
Daughters: Margaret Elizabeth, Annie & Vera Keller
Military service:
6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Service nos.: 3581 & 250413
Lance-Corporal
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Cologne Southern Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Grave Ref.: XVI.A.9
St Anne’s Church, Bishops Auckland 1914-1918 Book of Remembrance
St Andrew’s Church, South Church,1914-1918 Book of Remembrance & Churchyard Cross
D.L.I. 1914-1918 Book of Remembrance, Durham Cathedral
Gender: Male
Contributed by John Edwards