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
Private Fox was one of three men from this Benefice as a whole killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. The others were Private Robert Matthews, Little Ellingham (8th Norfolk's) and Private Arthur William Green of Rockland All Saints (10th Essex). These are the circumstances as outlined in their combined Tribute.
The 8th Norfolk's were part of the 18th 'Eastern' Division and this was the Battalion's first major engagement. Their objectives were the German trenches south west of Montauban and they spent the night of 30June-1 July in the Assembly Trenches near Carnoy. The week-long bombardment prior to the attack, which in some sectors had hardly affected the enemy, had weakened the German defences to some extent at Montauban. The first two trenches were poorly defended and, on 1 July, the 8th Norfolk's quickly captured them and took many prisoners with little opposition or loss. However, as they pressed on to the German second and third line trenches they were met with fierce opposition. At the end of the day they had achieved their objective but had lost 3 officers and 102 other ranks killed, 8 officers and 219 other ranks wounded and 13 missing. C and D companies had suffered particularly heavy casualties. The 10th Essex were also part of the 18th 'Eastern' Division. On 1 July 1916 they were in the same assembly area as the 8th Norfolk's and 6th Berkshires. They appear to have had 29 men killed in action.
Chapel Street, Rockland St Peter
Albert Edward Fox was born in Little Ellingham 27 January 1892. He was one of twelve children of William and Ellen Elizabeth [Fox] nèe Oakley. By 1911 two of their children had died. On census day 1901 the family lived on Chapel Street, Rockland St Peter. Albert's father was then a farm labourer. In 1911 they lived at Mill House, [Mill Lane] Great Ellingham. Albert was aged 19 and a farm labourer, his father was a fish hawker.
I have found Albert's Army Service Record which shows that he enlisted 5 September 1914, a single man, aged 22, he had been working as an Insurance Agent. He is described as being 5' 5", 112 lbs, chest 34" with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. His eyesight was good, physical development; 'Fair', religion: Methodist. He was originally posted to the 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment and disembarked with them in France 30 August 1915. His mother was concerned about him in October 1915 and wrote to ask if there was any information as to his whereabouts. Her address was Sparrows Nest, Great Ellingham, there is nothing in the Service Record to show what the reply was.
Albert was hospitalised at Etaples, 9 January 1916, suffering from scabies and eczema. When he returned to duty 14 March he spent two months with the 3rd Entrenching Battalion then was posted to the 8th Norfolk's 25 May 1916. His Service Record notes that he was 'killed in action, place unknown', he was aged 24. His father was notified 15 July and informed that he had been buried at Carnoy Military Cemetery. A lady by the name Sister G Newton of The Briars, Rockland St Peter wrote a letter on behalf of Mrs Fox to ask for the name and address of the Chaplain who officiated at the burial. Mrs Fox was given the name and also informed that her son's identity disc and some photos would shortly be returned to her.
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 Gazette
The 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.