BORN DRIFFIELD, 1885. ELDEST SON OF GEORGE ETHERINGTON, A BRICKLAYER AND ‘JOURNEY MAN’ AND HIS MOTHER SARAH ETHERINGTON. ONE OF FIVE CHILDREN. IN 1901 HE WAS WORKING AS A BUTCHER’S APPRENTICE, LIVING AT 37 BROOK STREET, DRIFFIELD WITH HIS FAMILY. HE MARRIED ALICE JOHNSON AT BEVERLEY ON 04/02/1913. HIS ARMY RECORDS SHOW THAT HE WORKED AT GOULD’S BUTCHERS, ON ANLABY ROAD HULL FOR 2 YEARS.
HE ENLISTED ON 03/06/1915, JOINING THE CAMERON HIGHLANDERS DEPOT, IN PERTH. HE WAS POSTED TO FRANCE ON 23/10/1915. ON 20/05/1916 HE INJURED HIS BACK AND KNEE, FILLING SANDBAGS AND SLIPPING INTO A CRATER. HE RETURNED TO ENGLAND ON 12/06/1916 AND SPENT SOME TIME RECUPERATING WITH MUSCLE PAIN AT THE NORFOLK WAR HOSPITAL AND THE ROYAL GENERAL HOSPITAL, SWAINSTHORPE. HE RETURNED TO FRANCE ON 22/01/1917, BUT RETURNED BACK TO ENGLAND WITH INFLUENZA AND TUBERCULOSIS OF THE LUNG, ON 16/03/1917.
HIS TRANSFER WITHIN THE CAMERON HIGHLANDERS MEANT THAT HE HAD SEVERAL REGIMENTAL NUMBERS – 6169, S/25470 AND 3375. HE APPLIED FOR A MILITARY DISCHARGE ON 06/06/1917 REQUESTING ‘LIGHT WORK, NEARER TO HOME’. IT APPEARS THAT HIS MARRIAGE WAS SHORT LIVED AND HE WAS GRANTED A SEPARATION ALLOWANCE. HIS WIFE LIVING AT BROOK COTTAGE, BROUGH AND MATTHEW LIVING AT WILLOW COTTAGES, SKILLING LANE, BROUGH. HE DIED OF TUBERCULOSIS ON 20/04/1919, AGED 34, AND IS BURIED AT ELLOUGHTON CHURCH CEMETERY. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE LOCAL ELLOUGHTON WAR MEMORIAL. HE IS BURIED AT ELLOUGHTON (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD AND EXTENSION
