Name
Ernest William Roome
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/03/1918
39
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
8765
Grenadier Guards
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
VI. G. 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial, St. Lawrence Church Memorial, Abbots Langley, Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley, We are not aware of any memorial in Nash Mills Not on the Apsley End, memorials *1
Pre War
Wartime Service
Biography
Ernest Roome was a Reservist at the outbreak of the Great War. He was employed by John Dickinson working at one of their Mills as an Engineer’s Labourer, and was called back to duty when War was declared. He was born on 27 February 1879 at Nash Mills and baptised at St Mary's Church, Apsley End on 20 April 1879. One of four children born to William and Annie Roome, living at Nash Mills Road. At the time of the 1891 Census William worked as a Bricklayer’s Labourer and by 1901 he was employed as an Engine Fitter’s Labourer. Annie was employed at John Dickinson’s Paper Factory working as an Envelope Packer.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at Nash Mills, nr Abbots Langley, Herts, where his father was working as a bricklayer's labourer. His mother was also working at the paper factory as an envelope packer.
He married Elizabeth Bennett in 1903 at Watford. She had an illegitimate son Ernest Bennett in 1900 who adopted the surname Groome on all census returns. They had a further five children May (1905), Alice, (1909), Ada (1910), Robert (1912) and Edward (1915).
By 1911 the Census recorded that Ernest had married, and by that time had one son and three daughters, and together with his wife Elizabeth the family lived at 32 Railway Terrace. Ernest was working as an Engineers Labourer at the paper mill.
Ernest had served in the Army before the Great War, but details of his service have not been found. As a Reservist he was called back to service at the outbreak of War, and reenlisted at London as a Guardsman.
The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour listed him serving with the Grenadier Guards in September 1914. His Medal Roll record indicated that he embarked for France on 6th November 1915, and the Parish Magazine reported in September 1916 that he had been wounded.
He saw his first major action in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette in September 1916 when the Battalion suffered heavy casualties with 359 men killed, wounded or missing. A week later at the Battle of Morval there were more heavy casualties and the Battalion had to be rebuilt with new drafts of men during the rest of the year.
The following year, Ernest fought at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge on 31 July 1917, resulting in the loss of one third of the unit's fighting strength, followed by the Battles of Menin Road, Poelkapelle and Passchendaele and finishing with the Battle of Cambrai.
On 21st March 1918 the German Army launched its Spring Offensive. A sudden attack along the British Front Line between Arras and St Quentin, in dense fog, and following a massive artillery barrage, caused great confusion. The British were forced to desperately defend their lines, and eventually fell back in a dis-ordered fashion. Five Abbots Langley men were killed in this action around the end of March. One of these was Ernest Roome. Just before the attack, on 20th March, the 2nd Grenadier Guards were in reserve at Arras. On the 21st March the town was shelled as the German offensive began. As things became desperate along the British Front the Guards were ordered back to the Front Line on 25th March, to defend a position between Ayette and Boisleux St Marc (south-east of Arras). At about 7pm the Germans were spotted advancing, covered by machine gun fire, which caused a number of casualties. Determined fire from the Grenadiers halted the advance. Ernest Roome may have been wounded in this attack. He was buried at Merville, some 40 miles from this area, which suggested that he had been wounded and evacuated to the hospitals behind the lines, where he finally succumbed to his wounds on 27th March. On 26th March the Guards moved on to a new position near the Arras to Albert railway close to the village of Moyenneville. Soon after dawn on 27th March the Germans attacked their position. Many men were injured by shelling, but the Guards held the line, and continued to hold the line for several more days. Maybe Ernest Roome was wounded or killed in this action and somehow he made it back to Merville on the same day as his death was recorded as 27th March 1918. Ernest was one of five men from Abbots Langley killed in the German Spring Offensive.
In May 1918 the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine recorded “Ernest William Roome was a Reservist in the Grenadier Guards, and was called to the Colours at the outbreak of war. He was a married man with five children, whom he leaves to mourn his loss, and to whom we offer our sincerest sympathy. He lived at Railway Terrace, which small part of the Parish has been very badly hit”.
Ernest Roome was buried at Merville Communal Cemetery in Northern France, and was commemorated on the Abbots Langley War Memorial and the John Dickinson War Memorial.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £21 and pay owing of £35 14s 7d. She also received a pension of £1 17s 11d a week for herself and her children. (There are records that indicate Ernest may have gone to Quebec, Canada on 13 June 1907 leaving Liverpool on the Southwark. He claimed to be single. and aged 28. If that is indeed him, he obviously returned).
*1 Also commemorated on the family grave in St Mary's Cemetery, Aspley End.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org, www.hemelheroes.com.
