Member of the ARP/Civil Defence Services - stretcher bearer.
Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research: Ernest John Purdy was born on 24 May 1913 in Poplar, a twin with his sister, May Florence Purdy (1913-1984). He was the son of Joseph Linn Purdy (1881-1942) and Caroline Purdy (1873-1931).
His mother was born Caroline Yearrington and had married a William George Bailey who died in 1902. They had two children Lilian Caroline Bailey (1897-1964) and Maud Bailey (1900-1989) who were his half-sisters. When his widowed mother remarried his parents had five other children, William Joseph Purdy (1905-1967), Joseph Stanley Purdy (1907-1991), Grace Maud Purdy (1908-1932), Bertrand Edward Purdy (1911-1997) and Winifred E. Purdy (1916-1916). His father was a bricklayer.
He was baptised on 11 June 1913 at St Andrew's Church, Bromley-by-Bow and the family were living at 31 Gurley Street, Bromley-by-Bow. Electoral registers show the family still at this address until 1938, but the 1939 England and Wales Register confirms that he and his father were now living at 146 Coventry Cross House, Brunswick Road, Poplar, (Brunswick Road has since been demolished and now is the Blackwall Tunnel Northern Approach - A12), and that his occupation was a hospital porter. He was also an A.R.P. Stretcher Bearer and died, aged 27 years, on 18 September 1940 when a high explosive bomb fell on Saunders Ness Road School, Isle of Dogs, London, E.14, that was being used as Auxiliary Fire Service Sub Station No.35U. He is also commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located near St. George's Chapel in Westminster Abbey.
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