Ernest was born on 4 March 1895 at Mongeham (Eastry), Kent the 5th child of Richard and Jane (née Upton) Ellender. 5 brothers and 2 sisters, Maurice Richard (1885), Arthur John (1897), Philip Daniel (1890), Eliza Jane (1893), Emily Francis (1897), Richard (1899) and Frederick (1901) completed the family unit. Younger brother Richard joined the Royal Navy in 1915 serving on surface ships before being invalided out in December 1927 on a medical discharge.

Ernest joined the Royal Navy on 19 May 1913 at the age of 18 years and 2 months as a Stoker Second Class when he entered HMS PEMBROKE ll in Chatham, Kent. On 28 October 1913 he was drafted to HMS VULCAN and while on board on 7 May 1914 he was advanced to Stoker First Class. On 15 April 1915 he was drafted to HMS DOLPHIN for 11 days before joining HMS MAIDSTONE on 27 April with a return to DOLPHIN on 30 November 1915. On 25 March 1916 he was back to MAIDSTONE for HMS E37.

E37 departed Harwich on the morning of 30 November 1916 in company with HMS E54 for patrol areas in the North Sea. At 2300 that evening E54 was rocked  by a violent shock wave and it was later thought this was E37 having struck a mine. Nothing else was heard from E37 and there were no survivors from her 30 man crew.

Ernest Ellender, Stoker 1c, Service Number K19308 aged 21 years “Crossed The Bar” with 29 of his shipmate’s.