Name
John Groome
1872
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/07/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17526
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE
III. D. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead
Pre War
John Groome was born in Hemel Hempstead in 1872, the son of William and Maria Groome (nee Dell) and one of six children,. He was baptised on 26 March 1875 at St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead with his older brothers, William, Herman and George. His eldest brother Harry had the surname Dell and was a half-sibling to John. His father, who was a carpenter, died in 1879 aged 44. On the 1881 Census he was living with his widowed mother and siblings at Bury Mill Hill. His mother was working as a Straw Plaiter (working at home) and John was at school. His older brothers Harry and William were working, one as a groom and the other as a general labourer, and contributing to the family income.
In 1891 the family were living at Bury Road and his grandmother Elizabeth Dell was living with the family. Both his grandmother and mother were working as Charwomen and all the family were employed except his sister Isabella who was a 12 year old scholar. John was working as a Watercress Labourer.
He married Emma Hobbs on 4 August 1895 at St Mary's, Hemel Hempstead but in 1901 John was recorded as a Boarder with Ellen Goodyear at Cross Oak Road, Berkhamsted, where he was working as a Watercress Cutter. He was back in Hemel Hempstead by the time of the 1911 Census and living with his wife and lodger John Hobbs (his brother-in- law) at 4 Armstrong Place, High Street, Hemel Hempstead, and he continued to be employed as a Watercress Cutter. They had no children.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war, John was 44 years old, but was still keen to volunteer and went to Watford in December 1914 to enlist with the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was posted to the 6th Battalion and sent to Salisbury Plain for basic training, He left England on board the SS Empress Queen on 29 July 1915, arriving at Le Havre early the following day.
The Battalion spent most of their time in the trenches and their first major action was in the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, part of the Somme Offensive, in mid July 1916. They were ordered to attack and capture Pozieres, but were held up by intense German machine gun and suffered many casualties. John was one of 61 men from the 6th Battalion who were killed in action on 15 July 1916, 22 of whom are buried with him in Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boiselle. His body, along with several others, was originally buried in another location and 'concentrated' at Pozieres in May 1919.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £7 and pay owing of 12s 6d. She also received a pension of 15 shillings a week. She later remarried in 1919 to George Clark at St Paul's Church, Queen Street, Hemel Hempstead. N.B. Some records spell the surname incorrectly, i.e. Groom without the 'e'. His name is incorrectly spelled on Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelatwar.org., www.dacorumheritage.org.uk., www.hemelheroes.com
