CORPORAL ABRAHAM FERNER
YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
21ST AUGUST 1917 AGE 21
BURIED: ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY, FRANCE
Abraham Ferner's parents were Jewish immigrants from Poland who arrived sometime between 1888, when their daughter Rachel was born in Poland, and 1891 when their son David was born in London. Father, Hyman Ferner, set up as a boot mender in Stepney where the family lived above the shop. In 1911 Abraham and three of his siblings were all working in the tailoring trade.
Ferner served with the 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment and died of wounds received on 14/15 August in the attack at Langemarck. The following month it was announced that, for his actions on that day, Ferner had been awarded the DCM, the Distinguished Conduct Medal introduced in March 1916 for exceptional acts of bravery. The citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During the advance, he moved the line in the open under machine gun fire, directing and encouraging his platoon, and later when ordered with his machine gun section to outflank a strong point, he moved up his gun, and though all his men were disabled, and he himself was wounded, continued to fire it until it was put out of action. His pluck and coolness were deserving of the highest praise.
A week after the attack, Ferner died in a base hospital in Etaples. His mother died five weeks later. Although his father was alive, it was Abraham's brother, David, who chose his inscription.