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 68959 Arthur James Groom, 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment):
Private Arthur James Groom
Image courtesy of Norfolk County Council at www.picture.norfolk.gov.uk
Arthur was born in Rockland St Peter in 1898 (registered in the second quarter). His parents were John and Mary [Groom] nèe Foreman. His half-siblings were Ernest and Daisy from his father's first marriage and he had an older brother, Reginald.
In 1901 the family lived on Scoulton Road, Rockland St Peter. Arthur's father was a farmer and employer. In 1911 Arthur and Reginald lived with their parents on Strolling [Stalland] Common, Great Ellingham. John Groom was then working as a yardman for another farmer, Arthur was in his last year at school.
His enlistment date is unknown. He arrived in France 27 September 1917, a member of The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). On 23 October 1917 he was transferred to the 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and was killed in less than a month, on the opening day of the Battle of Cambrai. Cambrai was an important railhead, billeting and headquarters town and had been in German hands since 1914. The ground in this area was relatively undamaged rolling chalkland and the much-improved Tanks were to lead the attack. At 6.20am 20 November 1917, after an intense barrage which caught the Germans completely by surprise, 476 Tanks moved forward followed by the infantry. They had the protection of a creeping barrage.
In just over four hours about four miles of enemy ground had been gained at a cost of just over 4000 casualties, killed, wounded and missing. However, 179 Tanks had been destroyed, disabled, or had broken down and the Cavalry had failed to break through and encircle the town as planned. Private Groom was one of 14 men of his battalion to be killed on that day. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial.
This verse was published in the Norwich Mercury in February 1918:
‘His heart was good, his spirit brave;
His resting place a soldier’s grave.
We loved him in life, he is dear to us still,
But in grief we must bend to God’s holy will.
Our sorrow is great, our loss is hard to bear,
Angels will tend you dear one, with care.
He was one of the best that God could lend,
A loving son and brother, a faithful friend.
From his sorrowing Father, Mother, Sister and Brother’
And in November 1918:
‘Days of sadness still come o’er us,
Hidden tears oft-times do flow.
But memory keeps our loved one near us,
Although he died one year ago.’
Private Groom was 19 and was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.
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.