Much of the information in this story comes from "Gower Remembers", Gower Street United Church

Eric Stanley Ayre was born into a wealthy and prominent family in St. John’s, Newfoundland on 20th October 1880, the older of two sons of Lydia Gertrude Pitts (1857-1927) and Robert Chesley Ayre (1857-1903). His father was one of the six sons of the founder of the St. John’s mercantile firm Ayre & Sons Limited.

Eric was educated at the Methodist College in St. John’s, where he won academic and sporting prizes. He then went on to attend Leys School in Cambridge, England.

Ayre returned to Newfoundland sometime around 1910 to enter the family business as a director, and he was with the company when war was declared. He was an early enlister, gaining a commission as a Lieutenant with responsibilities for recruitment and training in his area. This meant he did not accompany the first draft of soldiers to England. Instead, he and Captain Alexander Montgomerie were designated by the Newfoundland Patriotic Association, the organization responsible for the local war effort, as members of a Reserve Force Committee. This committee was charged with raising another 500 men to provide additional drafts for service overseas.

Ayre spent the autumn of 1914 and winter of 1915 continuing his work, being promoted to Captain on January 26, 1915. By the spring of that year enough men had enlisted to enable C Company, with 244 men, and D Company, with 250, to depart for service overseas, on February 4 and March 20, respectively. A month later, on April 22, another 241 men comprising E Company left St. John’s on board the Stephano, with Eric as their commanding officer.

They sailed first for Halifax, Nova Scotia, and after an 18-hour stopover, E Company sailed for England. Ayre’s time during the next year was spent in training the new recruits in Scotland. While stationed in Scotland, Eric married Janet Miller of St. John’s at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on June 19, 1915. He did not accompany the Regiment to Gallipoli, and did not see front-line service until assigned to command D Company on the Western Front in the spring of 1916. He arrived in France on May 4th, and was with his company as prepared for the ‘big show’ scheduled for the summer.

On July 1, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, the Newfoundland Regiment went over the top at Beaumont Hamel as part of the third wave of the attack. Because of the number of dead and wounded soldiers of the first two waves occupying the front line trench, the Newfoundland soldiers had to attack from a support trench, and advance across 200 metres of open ground before they reached the front line. The regiment was virtually decimated, with 700 of their full compliment of 800 men wounded, killed or missing.

Eric led his company forward, and according to Private Edwin Shea, was swiftly brought down by machine gun fire. Of the 26 officers who saw action that morning, Ayre was one of 14 who were killed while the other 12 were wounded. After the war, Eric’s grave was identified by army Grave Registration Units by a cross, and his remains were re-interred in Ancre British Cemetery, where he lies with 41 other soldiers of his regiment. 

A thoughtful letter of sympathy was sent by a lance corporal in Eric's company to his family following his death:

August 26th 1916

“A Tribute to our Noble Officers, Capt. E. S. Ayre, Lieuts. G & W Ayre”

Messrs. Ayre
St. John’s,
Newfoundland.

As I am one of the survivors of the survivors of the battle of July 1st which, as you know, proved so devastating to our Regiment, and in which your gallant sons fell; and moreover being an observer and messenger in D. Co. over which Capt. Eric was O.C I feel it my duty to drop you a line to their memory, especially Capt. Eric.

I must confess I was not very well acquainted with Lieut. Gerald, as he was platoon officer in another Company; but the testimony of the men of his platoon who survived that day. He was cool and feared not the task. I was personally known to both, Lieut.W. Ayre and Capt. E.S.

Lieut. W. led his platoon in a most cheering and cool manner until fatally hit in the head by a shrapnel. I saw him fall, but he was dead before I reached him.

Furthermore, I must join with the other old boys in admiring the unique way in which Capt. Eric managed his Company on that fatal day. He was continually busy during preparations in seeing that every man had necessity and often times told us in his genteel way that we would make good on that day, and I am sure he had the confidence and high esteem of his men. On the morning of the advance, being near him all the time, I was deeply touched at the cool, reserved and fearless way he undertook that deadly task. He jumped on the fire-seep, and the last words I heard him say were “Now men go to it, come with me” and over he went leading old D. Co., as if on a demonstration in some quiet field.

Everything was in perfect order as we waded off through an overwhelming hail of machine gun bullets, accompanied by shrapnel. I rushed on with our good old Capt. and glancing around saw but a few men scattered about, but still going ahead; turning again I saw Capt. Eric fall, and rushing up to him saw his wound was fatal; but in the shadow of death, with the wave of his cane he urged his men forward. I was touched with his courage, and only then began to realize what was happening. He, with his brave cousins and comrades, has paid the supreme sacrifice, and at this game, we cannot tell who next of us will be called upon to pay the same debt.

We, although we hate to think of our loss in him, feel  proud of Capt. Ayre, and moreover every man in his Company realized long before that day, that he was made of the stuff that makes a perfect gentleman, as well as a daring courageous soldier. On behalf of the old boys of his Company, who are pals with me at old game still, I must tender you my heartfelt condolence and deep sympathies in this, your great loss.

He is one we shall always honour; one whose deeds will travel down the history of Terra Nova. He died fearlessly and nobly, and we feel proud of him.

With deep regret, I am.
Respectfully yours,
(Sgd) L. Cpl. F. Riggs,
one of his Company.

Source: COLL 158- 6.02, Centre for Newfoundland Studies Archives, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL

Among the officers of the Newfoundland Regiment who were killed that day were two of Eric Ayre’s first cousins, Lieutenant Gerald W. Ayre, and Lieutenant Wilfred D. Ayre. Eric’s brother, Captain Bernard P. Ayre, of the Norfolk Regiment, also died on the very same day. Two other cousins, Captain Charles R. Ayre of the Newfoundland Regiment, and Captain Ronald Ayre (1898-1967) of the Royal Flying Corps, younger brother of Wilfred, both survived the war.

Eric and his family were life-long members of Gower Street Methodist Church, where he was a much-admired Sunday School teacher for some years.

In memory of Eric, his brother Bernard, and their cousins Gerald and Wilfred, Ayre & Sons Limited constructed the Ayre Athletic Grounds to the northwest of St. John’s. Also dedicated to their memory was the Ayre Memorial Library, “The bequest of Capt. Eric Ayre and Capt. Bernard Ayre to the employees of Ayre & Sons Ltd.”, which operated until 1940.

Eric was also a Freemason, a member of Lodge Whiteway in St. John’s. Upon learning of Ayre’s death his fellow masons passed a resolution of sympathy to his wife Janet and his mother.