HENRY JAMES BROOME

1880 - 1916

Henry was born in Wandsworth SW London to Charles and Emily Broome. He was the eldest of nine children; he had four sisters (Catherine, Emily, Charlotte and Bessie) and four brothers, (Charles, William, Alfred and Arthur). When he left school, Henry obtained employment as a domestic servant with Alexander Nelson Radcliffe , who owned Bag Park estate in Widecombe. By 1911 he had risen to the post of Butler within the Radcliffe household and would have been responsible for domestic planning for the time the family lived at the Bag Park.

In 1915, shortly after the outbreak of War, Henry and his youngest brother, Arthur, enlisted in the Royal West Kent Regiment. They were given consecutive Regimental numbers. GS/6943 and GS/6944 respectively!

It is ironic that within six weeks of Henry enlisting the eldest son of his employer John Douglas Henderson Radcliffe was killed in action fighting on the Western Front in Flanders.

Henry, along with his regimental colleagues were themselves posted to the Western Front in 1916 and fought in the Battle of the Somme. It was during this battle Arthur, Henry’s brother was badly wounded and returned to the UK. Henry survived the Battle of the Somme. By 16th December 1916 he was with B Company of the Royal West Kents. They were billeted at a convent at Voormeleeze in Flanders. Their position came under enemy attack and one man was killed.

That man was Henry James Broome.

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