Walter and Emma’s third son, Ernest, was born in Melton in 1892. In 1911, he lived with his mother and father at the family home in Hackney Road and worked as a gardener. In August 1914, Ernest enlisted into the Suffolk Regiment. He was posted to the 3rd Suffolks, the regiment's reserve battalion, who were based in Felixstowe. He was promoted to Serjeant and remained there as an instructor, training the recruits as they prepared for war. On 24th April 1916, Ernest married Elizabeth Baldwin in Cotton, Suffolk. Ernest was posted to France on 31st May that year, joining the 7th Suffolks in training at Mazingarbe throughout June. On 30th June 1916, the battalion moved to the Albert sector on the Somme, arriving in Henincourt late on 1st July. At first light the following day, the battalion moved into support trenches in readiness to attack the village of Ovillers. The battalion’s war diary for the 3rd July records the following:

“At 3:15 am the Battalion made a frontal attack on Ovillers on a frontage of 200 yards. Zero was at 3:15 am, ten minutes before zero the leading waves advanced under cover of the bombardment and at the hour of zero, the Battalion assaulted in eight successive waves. The first wave penetrated to the enemy’s third line and portions of the village itself, but owing to the darkness touch was lost with succeeding waves and the 5th Royal Bucks on the right so that the leading waves were not supported closely enough, thus allowing the Germans to get in between the waves and cut off the leading ones at the 3rd line of resistance, it was this 3rd German line that the chief casualties occurred and the assault was brought to a standstill. The casualties of the Battalion were 21 Officers, and 458 O.R. killed, wounded and missing.”

Ernest was amongst those killed. It was his first time at the front line and less than five weeks since his arrival in France. The news of his death did not reach the family until November that year.

The Woodbridge Reporter and Wickham Market Gazette reported on 20th November:

“Mrs Adams of Hackney Road, Melton, who has been under great anxiety since the third son Sgt Ernest George Adams, of the Su6olk Regiment, was reported as missing in July last, has now been officially notifed that he was killed in action on July 3rd. Sergeant E G Adams joined immediately after the outbreak of war in August 1914. He passed an examination for instructing recruits, and remained in Felixstowe until 30th May. He was thus only at the Front about 5 weeks before he met his death. The deceased married last Easter Monday at Cotton, near Stowmarket. This is the second son Mrs Adams has lost in the war, her second son having been killed in action in France 5 days later than his brother, viz, on July 8th. Mrs Adams has now only her youngest son left and he is serving in France, in the Royal Garrison Artillery. Much sympathy will be extended to the bereaved mother who is a widow.”

Ernest’s body was buried near to where he fell and was moved after the war to Ovillers Cemetery, France. For his service during the war, he received the British War and Victory Medals.