The memorial in All Saints' Church, Kirkby Overblow, erroneously states that Ernest Dalby died of illness at home on 15th February 1919, aged 24. I am grateful to Carol Simmonds for pointing out that these details in fact refer to John James Harrison whose name is missing from the memorial.
Ernest Dalby was born in 1880 at Sicklinghall, one of eleven children born to John and Sarah Dalby. In 1901, Ernest was a 20-year-old bricklayer's labourer living with his parents and four siblings at Sicklinghall. He had four children with Flora Mary Mawson before the couple married in 1916: John William (October 1903), Harry (November 1904), Norman (June 1906) and Florence May (May 1911).
Ernest would have attested to serve under the Derby Scheme towards the end of 1915, and was called up on 12th or 13th June 1916. After training, he was posted to France to join the 1st Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment and was later transferred to the regiment's 2/5th battalion.
In the early morning of 13th November 1917, 2/5th West Yorkshire were occupying front line positions west of Cambrai that extended approximately from 51B.U.29.d.7.7 to 57C.C.12.a.4.4 [trench map coordinates can be located on a modern map using the excellent tmapper resource]. Adjoining D Company at the extreme left of the battalion front were 2/6th West Yorkshire. At 4am on the 13th, the enemy put down a heavy barrage on the front line of the 2/6th. On the right of the battalion front, the barrage continued until 5.15am; on the left, it lifted at 5am and the enemy attempted a raid in considerable strength. The raid was completely repulsed but at a cost to the 2/6th of one officer and ten other ranks killed, thirty other ranks wounded and two missing. The 2/5th also suffered casualties, presumably in the bombardment that preceded the raid, of two killed and four wounded; of the two men killed, one was Ernest Dalby.
Ernest Dalby was buried in Favreuil British Cemetery. The inscription on his headstone, chosen by his family, reads PEACE, PERFECT PEACE.