Fellow local historian, Cynthia Budd, has meticulously researched the men listed on the Great War Memorials throughout the Shellrock Benefice (Great Ellingham, Little Ellingham, Rockland All Saints, Rockland St Peter and Shropham with Snetterton).
She has kindly allowed me to reproduce her tributes to the Great Ellingham men, on the Great Ellingham One-Place Study website.
Great War memorial tablet on the west wall of the Church of St James, Great Ellingham
The following is Cynthia’s piece commemorating Private 22891 John Joseph Reeder, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment:
John's birth was registered in the second quarter of 1894. His parents were Joseph and Elizabeth [Reeder] (whose maiden name was also Reeder). They, and their six children, were all born in Great Ellingham. In 1901 their address was Attleborough Road and in 1911 Portwood Cottage. John was then aged 16 and a farm yardman. His parents recorded that two of their children had died.
There are very few Military Records for Private Reeder. He enlisted in Attleborough, date unknown, and served with the 1st Battalion, the Norfolk Regiment. He was killed during the 1916 Somme Offensive.
The 1st Norfolk's were sent to the Somme sector 16 July 1916, fifteen days after the start of the Battle. To get there they had to endure several 'hard marches in great heat and dust'. They were in action from 21-28 July when they suffered 429 casualties in the area around High Wood, Longueval and Delville Wood.
In early August they were pulled back for rest followed by vigorous training and were reinforced by a draft of men who had not yet served in the Field (I cannot say whether Private Reeder was one of these, or a member of the original unit). They returned to the Front 24 August and were tasked with improving the Trenches.
On 4 September, the day Private Reeder died, the battalion was ordered to attack Falfemont Farm, near Combles. Numerous shell craters and 'terrible machine gun fire' impeded their progress. Some men were hit by 'friendly' artillery. The objective was eventually gained at a cost of 56 killed, 219 wounded and 94 missing believed killed.
The November 1916 Deanery Magazine still reported that Private Reeder was Missing in Action. He has no known grave and is also remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
Church of St James, Great Ellingham
A Memorial Service for Private Reeder and five other Great Ellingham men who fell in 1916, was held at St James' 24 December 1916. Private Reeder was aged 22 and was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.
His brother in law, Arthur Macro, (also Great Ellingham Memorial) died in a German Prisoner of War Camp 6 June 1918.
With many thanks to Cynthia Budd and Chris Clarke.
Cynthia’s sources. Please note that the sources include research carried out in relation to all the ‘fallen’ of the Great War throughout the Shellrock Benefice. Accordingly, not all the sources will be applicable to Great Ellingham :
Ancestry UK: Birth, Marriage, Death and Parish Records. Census Records and Electoral Rolls. Probate Records.Military Records; Army/Navy Service Records. UK Soldiers Died in the Great War Roll. Medal Index Cards. Medal Award Rolls. The Register of Soldiers’ Effects. War Diaries. Canadian Military Records.
Archant Archives, Norwich. Also Thetford Library; The Thetford & Watton Times.
Australian War Records Websites: https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
FindMyPast; Military Service Records. Electoral Rolls. British Newspaper Archive. The 1939 Register.
The General Record Office.
The History of the Norfolk Regiment 1914-1918 F Loraine Peter OBE
The London GazetteThe National Archives
The Norfolk Heritage Centre, The Forum, Norwich. Breckles and District Deanery Magazines. Norwich Mercury (Microfiche)
The Norfolk Record Office.
Norwich Cathedral Library; 1919 Diocesan Roll of Honour.
Picture Norfolk https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/libraries/picture-norfolk
The Red Cross https://grandguerre.icrc.org
Various Regimental Websites.