This is one of four stories about sibling members of a Howes family, compiled and contributed to www.howesfamilies.com by John Howes, the grandson of one of them.  The four siblings, all of whom had their lives profoundly affected by the war are (Peter) Frank Howes, Leonard William Howes, Cyril Frank Howes and Eleanor Margaret Howes. (Clicking on the names will take you to their stories).

Ella was the youngest sibling. It was always stated that her fiancée was killed in WWI (she was on nursing duty during the war). She was to finally marry at the age of 50.

She, before and after marriage, lived with her father in Poringland, Norfolk, as did brother Cyril.

Ella left an autograph album with input from 1912 onwards. The first page had obituary details for a Lieutenant Fox. This must have been the man she had hoped to marry in her youth, and so she would have no doubt led very different life to that which followed.

Arthur Adam Taylor Crosse, vicar of St Mary’s, Hickling wrote the following in the Waxham Deanery Magazines, June 1917 for Harry Norton Fox:

“Second-Lieut. H. N. Fox, Norfolk Regiment, was killed in action in France. He was wounded, but managed to carry on for some time, when he was instantly killed by a bullet through the head. I had watched his career for many years; he was a promising boy, and hard work and a good intellect enabled him to fulfil the promise of his boyhood. He was unfortunate in failing to obtain a County Council scholarship from one school, but he went to the Paston School at North Walsham, and at once made his mark, both in work and games. After teaching for a while at Stalham, he went to the Borough Road College for teachers, and was doing excellently. He enlisted in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and saw much active service and fierce fighting in France; and in recognition of his good work he was awarded a field commission in the Norfolk Regiment. He was a fine soldier, and his colonel and brother officers speak most highly of his courage and the excellence of his work, and they most sincerely mourn his loss, as we all do here. He was a fine footballer, cricketer, and runner, and did not know the meaning of fear. We desire to offer our deep sympathy to his parents in their very great loss.”

So in many respects Ella was more impacted by WWI than her brothers.