Further to the above:

1. I found persisting references to earlier, now long-gone kernels in 
/var/lib/initramfs-tools, but not a complete list (there were 17, but there 
might have been many more if all the old kernel listings had been retained).
2. I manually deleted all but the newest and immediately prior references.
3. After confirming the system data via dpkg enquiries, I ran 'sudo dpkg 
--configure -a' which did not work.
4. I then ran 'sudo apt-get -f install' which allowed the new kernel extras 
installation to complete properly.

The cause of the installation failure was the attempt by the installer
to generate multiple initrd.img- files (as instructed from /var/lib
/initramfs-tools) which rapidly filled /boot leading to the software
break; these redundant initrd.img- files must be deleted from /boot for
the above steps to work (ie. to make space for the installer to proceed
within /boot).

These steps have solved this episode; it seems likely that with further
time, a new set of outdated kernel data will accumulate in /var/lib
/initramfs-tools, requiring manual deletion.

Automating this clean-up at the time of kernel updates may be entirely
inappropriate on many systems.

The above may assist others.

I look forward to more expert assessment.

CMB 06/03/2018

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1753352

Title:
  package linux-image-extra-4.4.0-116-generic 4.4.0-116.140 failed to
  install/upgrade: run-parts: /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools
  exited with return code 1

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