Lives of the First World War

1st July 1916 - 1st August 1916

The remains of Pte H T Royston, of the Suffolks, whose parents live in Silver-street, Ely, were interred in Ely Cemetery on Saturday, amidst many manifestations of sorrow, respect and sympathy. The young soldier--he was only 18--was seriously wounded in the recent fighting, having sustained two broken legs, a fracture in the back, and a bullet wound in the body, to which he succumbed in hospital. The deceased was a member of the Countess of Huntingdon Sunday School, and there now hangs in his parents' house in Silver-street a framed copy of the Ten Commandments, which was presented to him by Mr Bearock, his teacher. It was, therefore, fitting that the Rev A G Bradford, the pastor of the Countess of Huntingdon's Church--himself attired in the uniform of the Ely Volunteer Training Corps--officiated at the funeral. The fact that such an event was taking place--the first interment of a war hero at Ely--was not generally known in the city, or there would have been a very much larger concourse of the public. As it was, the funeral was numerously attended, and due honour was paid to the memory of the young soldier, members of the Volunteer Training Corps and the wounded soldiers following him to the grave. Several khaki-clad Ely men, home on leave, also joined the procession. The cortege started from the house of deceased's parents in Silver-street at half-past one, and the blinds were drawn not only in many houses in the locality, but also en route to the cemetery, where the funeral had become known. The coffin, which was covered with beautiful wreaths, bore the inscription: "Harold Thomas Royston, died August 1st 1916, aged 18."

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