Name
George Groom
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/11/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
3/8709
Bedfordshire
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (HEATH LANE) CEMETERY
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Not on the Great Gaddesden memorials
Pre War
George Groom was born in Great Gaddesden, Herts in January 1885, the son of Thomas and Mary Ann Groom and baptised there on 22 February 1885. He was one of seven children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living on a road locally known as The Barracks, Great Gaddesden, where his father was an agricultural labourer and his mother was a straw plaiter. They had moved to 30 Cherry Bounce, Hemel Hempstead by the 1901 Census and at that time George was working as an Iron Foundry Hand at the Boxmoor Iron Works.
George enlisted for four year with the 4th Bedfordshire Regiment Militia on 17 February 1905 and was then working as a farm labourer. This was often a way to supplement the low wages of a farm labourer and for the four years he received regular training sessions and attended the annual Summer Camps. In June 1908 he signed on for an additional two years and when his service expired on 26 February 1911 he was transferred to the Army Reserve.
On the 1911 Census he was living with his Uncle and Aunt, Thomas and Sarah Spurr who were living at Great Gaddesden, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, where his uncle was head ploughman.
On enlistment he was living at 9 Cherry Bounce. Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war, as George was a member of the Army Reserve, he was called up immediately and went to Watford on 20 October 1914 to re-enlist with the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was posted to the 9th Battalion at Felixstowe, Suffolk to refresh his army training and was sent to France on 27 December when he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion.
He spent time in the trenches in January 1915 but was posted back to England because of illness. He began to suffer heart problems soon after joining his unit and experienced chest pains and palpitations whilst carrying out his duties . Once returned to England he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, at Landguard Port, Felixstowe on coastal defence duties. His health continued to deteriorate, however, and was deemed "no longer physically fit for war service", a condition aggravated by active service. He was honourably discharged due to "disordered action of heart" on 8 July 1915 and awarded an army pension and Silver War Badge No. 126445. He then returned to live in Hemel Hempstead.
George eventually succumbed to his illness and died of heart failure at West Herts Hospital, aged 33, on 25 November 1918. He is buried at Heath Lane Cemetery, Hemel Hempstead.
Additional Information
N.B. The National Roll of the Great War states that he was suffering from severe shell shock and died from its effects. Not found on the CWGC website as he was discharged in July 1915.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
