Ernest William Groom 26th March 1893 - 1st April 1958
Ernest was born in Croxley Green to parents Joseph and Frances Groom. Joseph 23 years and Frances 27 years were married locally at All Saints church on 26th January 1889. At this time Joseph was employed as a cowman and although Frances is recorded as a spinster in the church marriage records, the family believe she came to Croxley Green in 'service' possibly as a maid in one of the large houses in the village. Frances father had also been in service, employed as a butler.
The 1911 census shows us that Ernest 18 years , worked as a grocer's shop assistant. Family members believe this to be at the Co-operative in New Road. Ernest's father now worked at John Dickinson paper mill as a paper packer with his daughter Hilda 16 years, a paper sorter and his son William 14 years, a paper cutter. The census also reveals Ester, at school 11 years old and the family were living at 124 New Road. Earlier census indicate Joseph and Francis had another daughter Lucy, who would have been 21 years in 1911.
As the war progressed in France and Belgium with heavy losses of regular and volunteer soldiers,
posters around the country were appealing for men to join the British Army. Ernest travelled to Hertford and enlisted on the 22nd November 1915. Conscription however soon followed, introduced in March 1916.
From the date of his enlistment, knowledge of Ernest's early whereabouts in the army is unsure, but he did keep a diary which has been carefully transcribed by family members. The dairy begins in June 1916 and starts with Ernest at Halton Camp .
The 1911 census shows us that Ernest 18 years , worked as a grocer's shop assistant. Family members believe this to be at the Co-operative in New Road. Ernest's father now worked at John Dickinson paper mill as a paper packer with his daughter Hilda 16 years, a paper sorter and his son William 14 years, a paper cutter. The census also reveals Ester, at school 11 years old and the family were living at 124 New Road. Earlier census indicate Joseph and Francis had another daughter Lucy, who would have been 21 years in 1911.
As the war progressed in France and Belgium with heavy losses of regular and volunteer soldiers,
posters around the country were appealing for men to join the British Army. Ernest travelled to Hertford and enlisted on the 22nd November 1915. Conscription however soon followed, introduced in March 1916.
From the date of his enlistment, knowledge of Ernest's early whereabouts in the army is unsure, but he did keep a diary which has been carefully transcribed by family members. The dairy begins in June 1916 and starts with Ernest at Halton Camp .
(At the start of WW1, Halton House and estate near Wendover, Buckinghamshire, was owned by Alfred de Rothschild. During WW1 the estate was used by the army for training and was later to become a training base for cadets in the Royal Air Force. It is still currently a well established cadet base known as R.A.F. Halton)
The following is Ernest's diary as transcribed by members of the family (2018). As Ernest had just a pencil to describe his events, the writing has faded and in places difficult to determine his handwriting, particularly some names in France etc. Ernest may well have not known the correct spelling and wrote them phonetically. The family have done their best to locate and correct any spelling. The website has placed in square brackets [ ] extra information regarding Ernest's diary entries.
Ernest's diary is still in remarkable condition and although the pencil has faded with age the paper in the note book is still very stable. Two photographs are attached in the early section of Ernest's notes and the family believe they are his mother Frances and his brother William,who also served in the army.
Diary of Ernest William Groom
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June Halton Camp, Bucks
3rd July Monday Went under canvass to Hayfield Park 4th July Received orders to proceed to France. Inspection at 2.30. Roll call at 9pm. 5th July Paraded at 2.30 (early morning) marched to Wendover Station to Marylebone. Marched to Victoria Stn, trained to Folkestone. Arrived Folkestone 7.45. Billeted facing the sea until 1.30pm Boarded HMS “The Queen” 2.30pm Arrived Boulogne 4pm. Landed at 5pm Marched to rest camp until morning Photo of The Queen Elizabeth ship below 6th July Left camp. Trained to Etaples I.B.D. (Infantry Base Depot)Under canvass. [Trained :- Ernest travelled by railway to Etaples in northern France] Having happy time. 7th July Paraded for med insp. No parade in afternoon. [Medical Inspection] 8th July 10am went on a lovely walk (north). Fine views of the sea from walk. Parade at 2pm. Drill at Bull Ring. Met Oliver Atkins [ Oliver lived at 28 Dickinson Square and was a driver in the Motor Transport Royal Army Service Corps] |
Diary of Ernest William Groom
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HMS Queen Elizabeth Lemnos 1915
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9th July Fired at range at 2.30pm. Service at S.C.A (Soldiers Christian Association)
6.30pm - 8pm 10th July 9.30 Bomb throwing at Bull Ring 11th July Drew ammunition for shifting. Had orders to Stand too. 12July 13th July Nil. Paraded for pay 5 frcs [5 francs] [Francs -unit of French currency. Approx £2 then and £122 (2019)] 14th July 15th July Nil 16th July Church Parade at Camiers 10.45am [approximately 4 miles north of Etaples] Service at 6.30pm at S.C.A 17th July Bathed in sea at Paris Plage 18th July Little march 19th July Washing clothes at laundry. Paraded for pay 5 frcs 20th July Same as Tuesday 21st July Friday Orders for moving. Moved at 4.30. Left Etaples 6pm to Henencourt Via Abbeville, Rue, Langfure, Amiens Arrived at 1 early morning. quite dark. Marched to Henencourt to camp under canvass Saw star shells and heard heavy gun fire. First parcel from home, jolly good. [Ernest is now near the village of Henencourt in northern France that was close to the front lines in 1916 during the Battle of the Somme] 22nd July Instruction by C.O. 10.30 [Commanding Officer] Plenty of air craft over here 2.30 heavy firing heard, same all day 6 pm inspected damage in village Watched fire of big guns from some distance 23rd July First parade 6.15. Drill all morning Next parade 3.30. Generals inspection. 24th July Parade all day 25th July Paraded at 7am for firing on small range. 34 points out of 40 26th July Left Henencourt at 10am, marched to Acheux, billeted in barns. (Somme) 27th July 7am Station unloading granite 28th July 7am Station unloading. 6.30 paid 5 frcs 29th July 7am Station unloading 30th July Went on lorries up line, saw guns fired. Stopped in front of them. |
Diary of Ernest William Groom
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31st July Usual to Friday Aug 4th
Seen several aircraft shelled Aug 2nd met old bus driver his name was Castle 5th Aug Drill during morning, unloading granite from 12 to 4.30. 6th Aug No.3 Section Day Off. 1hr Service at 11am and 7pm 7th Aug Drill in morning, unloading granite in afternoon Met Joe Woolams and Arthur Treacher [Joe was killed 30/9/1918 lived 231 New Road] 8th Aug Stn in morning, drill in afternoon [Station] 9th Aug Wed 12th Aug Same as usual 13th Aug Sick with Shingles light Duty. Very dullish Light Rains 26th Aug Sat Sick, light Duty. 27th Aug Work at R E's Dump[Royal Engineers] 2nd Sept Work at R Es Dump Moved from Acheux to Henencourt. Met all old mates 5th Sept Transferred to 6th Royal Berks Left Henencourt via train to Abbeville, took Tues night, Wed, Wed night 7th Sept (Thurs) Left Abbeville to Tincques arrived 1pm, marched to join the Berks. 8th Sept All day training 9th Sept Started 3 day march to Lealvillers. [Lealvillers is a small village in the Somme area (Picardy region)] First day fell out on march, scorching hot, just about knocked up 10th Sept 2nd days march, much easier 11th Sept 3rd days march, very good All that way round and came back within 1 mile of starting 12th Sept All day training hearing barrage 13thSept Ditto 15th Sept Ditto 16th Sept Stood by ready to move 17th Sept Left at 11am marched to Acheux. 3.30 moved on to Bouzincourt [Bouzincourt is a small village in Northern France in the Somme region] |
Diary of Ernest William Groom
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18th Sept Moved back to Forceville. Pouring with rain. Got drenched
19th Sept Drill in morning, 2.30 clothes inspection 20th Sept No parade for me. 12.30 instruction on dug outs WENT IN BIG ADVANCE ON THIEPVAL [26th -30th Sept The battle of Thiepval Ridge was part of the first battle of the Somme with heavy losses] Mr Gale wounded John Gray killed Herbert Green wounded Herbert Groom wounded Fred Fish wounded Reed wounded 2nd Lt Ravener killed Awful experience on fire stag first night Germans shelled us heavily especially last day which was Thurs Oct – Could not write any proper account of details, too busy Moved from ________ to Albert in buses. Left Albert midnight. [Albert was the main town behind the lines for the Allies in the 1916 Somme] 14th Oct Sat First night in trenches 15th Oct Nice day very quiet 16th Oct Ditto 17th Oct Ditto. Removed back to Albert 18th Oct Spent day at Albert . Moved back to trenches. Support line. Poured with rain 19th Oct Moved from support to trenches Jack Bushnell killed |
Diary of Ernest William Groom
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20th Oct Still in trenches. 1st line. Warm day. Private Sale wounded
21st Oct Raining; awfully cold 22nd Oct Nice day. relieved Marched back to Albert 23rd Oct Bath. Moved to different billets 24th Oct Pours with rain. Sheltered in billet 25th Oct Moved under bivouacs [a temporary shelter or camp for sleeping in outside, that is not a tent] 26th Oct 27th , 28th The same 29th Oct Went into trenches until Nov 2nd 3rd Nov Back at Albert 4th Nov Saw George Howard [George lived 45 New Road] Moved to Warloy to billets [Somme] 8th Nov Heavy rain, no parades 9th Nov 2.15 moved to trenches 27th Jan 1917 Killed Dick Cershing Cpl Jones Alf Haynes Austin (Capt Hudson’s servant) L/cpl Windy Banks 17th Feb Wounded Saturday 17 Feb 1917 Stayed at Warloy until Sunday morning [Warloy is in the Somme region.] Moved to Varennes CCS 10am [Casualty Clearing Station] Operated on at 5pm Layed in O ward until Wed 28th Feb Wed moved to base hospital at Camiers nth Etaples Laid in G 2 ward until 7th Mar Wed moved to hospital ship Dieppe,[ Dieppe was built for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. She was used on their Newhaven—Dieppe route. She was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in WW1 for use as a troopship and a hospital ship] Laid on there until March 9 |
© Diary of Ernest William Groom
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9th Mar
Came across from Calais to Dover, arrived at 12noon. Put on train at Dover at 3pm. Travelled via Canterbury, Chatham, Liverpool Stn., Chelmsford. Arrived at Colchester 9pm. Admitted to Military Hospital Fri Mar 9th 9.15pm 28th Mar Mon Serious operation 14th Apr Left to Romford 2nd June Left Romford for 10 days Furlough commencing on the 4th until June 13th [Ernest is referring to furlough a period of time that a soldier is allowed to be absent, especially to return temporarily to their own town or country] Received no pay since wounded on Feb 17th 15/5 in Cr to Sept 30 1917 Had four weeks pay of 3/6 while at Romford, also £1 when leaving 11th June Received £1/10/0 for pay and ration allowance |
Diary of Ernest William Groom
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13th June Left home for Ireland [Ernest is probably at home 124 New Road and travelled by train from the Croxley Green LN&WR station near Cassiobridge]
5.48 Croxley, 7.40 Watford, 9.25 Euston, Holly Head 3am 14th June Sailed for Dublin on SS Greenore. Arrived at 8am. Motored to Rest Camps. Had breakfast in city. Dinner at 1pm. Looked round Dublin until 3pm. Left Kingsbridge Stn. at 3pm for Buttevant arrived at Barracks 8pm 15th June D Block R 4 met George Mains and Jack Salmon. Moved to R Block R 2 6th June P T at 11.30am 2pm cricket match 17th June Church parade 10am in library 18th June Met Fuzz Knight 25th June Wounds burst open. Reported sick MD [Doctor] 26th June Ditto Reported to M & L D 27th June Excused duties 7 days. Admitted into Hospital in barracks 28th June & 29th Wounds very sore 30th July Discharged from Hospital 23rd August 1917 Went before Medical Board, marked E Discharged |
Diary of Ernest William Groom
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Diary of Ernest William Groom
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Diary of Ernest William Groom
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Diary of Ernest William Groom
Diary of Ernest William Groom
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Ernest's discharge document
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Ernest's diary is still in remarkable condition and although the pencil has faded with age the paper in the note book is still very stable. Two photographs are attached in the early section of Ernest's
notes and the family believe they are his mother Frances and his brother William,who also served in the army.
notes and the family believe they are his mother Frances and his brother William,who also served in the army.
When Ernest finally returned home he would have continued recovering from his wounds and lived with his parents and other members of the family. The 1920 Electoral Roll shows the family now occupy 84 New Road. Ernest married Winifred Dora Austin on 3rd April 1920 and they lived at 47 Dickinson Avenue. Ernest continued his employment with the Co-op in New Road and he and Dora,( now using her middle name), had a daughter Brenda.
Frances, Ernest's mother, copied from his war diary
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William, Ernest's brother copied from his diary
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Ernest and Dora
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Dora and Ernest with their daughter Brenda
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