Ernest was the eldest son of Ernest Lansford and Henrietta Palmer. His father had travelled round the country and Ernest was born in Carisbrooke on the Isle of Wight.

His brother Roland was born in Stourport, Worcestershire and the youngest child Bertram was born in Stamford. They lived in Northfields in 1901 at 1 St George’s Villas then in 1911 at 26 Kings Road.

The family moved yet again and the two youngest children attended Hereford school in Abergavenny in 1913. No military record was found for Ernest.