CRICH PARISH

Crich, Fritchley, Whatstandwell, Bullbridge, Crich Carr, Coddington, Wheatcroft, Wakebridge

William Broomhead MM

Sergeant

Lea Mills postcard

Medal Index Card
He was awarded the Victory, British War and 15 Star Medals
Entered France 01/07/15
Notts & Derby 12783 Corporal
R. Lancs 30237 Sergeant

Sergt William Broomhead Military Medal reported in George Wigglesworth notes. He won the Military Medal for action on August 29th, 1918 (Parish Magazine)

Army Service Record
Attested 19 August 1914 at Derby aged 24 years and 152 days, address South View, Holloway, a married warehouseman. He was 5ft 10½in tall and weighed 134lb with grey eyes and light brown hair. He was a Methodist who had a birthmark on his stomach. His wife was Mabel Annie Broomhead living at Horton Villa, Weston upon Trent, Derby who was allowed 9/- separation allowance and 3/6 allotment of pay. On 18/09/15 his wife wrote for increase in allowance for a child. His mother was Margaret Broomhead of Holloway and brother John Broomhead. He married Mabel Annie Richdale 23/01/15 at Holloway and they had a son Colin Eugene on 06/08/15
19/01/15 Appointed paid lance coporal
06/09/15 Wounded by shrapnel in Gallipoli, taken aboard Hospital Ship "Guildford Castle" to Malta
12/09/15 Floriano Hospital, Malta
17/09/15 Invalided to England on HS "Carisbrooke Castle". Gun shot wound to left arm
14/07/16 Attached to KOR Lancs Regt
27/11/16 Transferred to England on HS "Newhaven" for hospital
30/11/16 Admitted to Ingress Abbey Military Hospital, Greenhithe with gastro interitis
27/09/16 Promoted Corporal
09/03/17 Embarked Folkestone for Boulogne and Etaples
26/04/17 Admitted 2/2 Wessex field hospital
05/05/17 Discharged from hospital
01/06/17 Appointed lance sergeant(vice marshall)
10/06/17 Promoted Sergeant
29/08/18 Wounded in action.
04/09/18 To UK in HS "Ville de Liege"
05/09/18 Keighley War Hospital Gun shot wound to left arm
13/03/19 Demobbed

Newspaper reports

Derbyshire Times, 25 Sept 1915
HOLLOWAY MAN WOUNDED
Mrs Broomhead, jnr, of Holloway, received a field postcard on Monday morning, under date of September 8th, from her husband, Private William Broomhead, of the 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters , saying that he was on his way to the base hospital having been wounded. Pte Wm Broomhead enlisted 12 months ago into Kitchener's Army and has been in several engagements on the Galipoli Peninsular. He was an employee in the Hosiery Warehouse. Lea Mills, and one of the noted half-backs in Matlock and District football.

Derbyshire Courier 5 October 1918
Sergt W. Broomhead, Holloway, has been wounded and is in hospital at Skipton. This is the second time he has been wounded. He was recently awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery.

Notes
William Broomhead was one of the first volunteers joining Kitchener’s Army on 21st August, 1914. He came from Holloway and worked in the warehouse (papering).
He had a varied and distinguished war. He was soon promoted to Corporal and he sailed in June 1915 as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. He served at Gallipoli, was wounded and invalided home in September 1915. He returned to service in November 1915, was promoted to Sergeant and sailed in May 1916 as part of the British Expeditionary Force in France.
He won the Military Medal for action on August 29th, 1918. The citation stated, ‘He led his platoon and, though wounded, secured his objective. He then received a second wound which necessitated his removal to hospital’.
After he volunteered in August 1914, he went to Belton Park, Grantham. In November of that year, he reported doing ‘eight hours drill every day’ and regretted having little time to himself. By January 1915, he was ‘quite enjoying the open-air life’ though he did not much like the rain. By February 1914, he had been promoted to Lance Corporal and, still at Grantham, he admired a field gun that had been captured by the Lincolnshire Regiment from the Germans at Ypres. By March he was running out of socks; the marching training was proving arduous and wearing. On 7th May 1915, he was at Frensham, the Divisional Training Camp, working in the sun, which he found tiring but reported that he was in ‘fine condition, or it would be impossible to stand it’.
He sailed in June 1915 with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and on 28th August, 1915 he wrote:
‘We have had a rough time of it, all working and fighting, and getting an hours rest or a little food the best way we can. The climate is all against us, very hot in the day and cold at night, and as we have no blankets or cover of any kind we cannot get a decent rest. We have been in a few hot corners: it is really remarkable how anyone can live amidst such a rain of bullets and shrapnel as there is at times, but I am thankful to say I have had the good luck to come through all right so far’.
His good luck proved fragile as on 8th September, 1915 he was reported wounded and invalided from M.E.F. and he was in Ward 8, Block A, Warncliffe Hospital, Sheffield.
He rejoined in November, 1915 and was posted temporarily to Normanton Barracks, Derby and in December writes, ‘It is a great pleasure to all of us to know we are not forgotten’.
He sailed in May 1916 in the British Expeditionary Force, France in D. Company 7, K.O.R.Lancs. By this time he is a Corporal. In June, he cannot report where he is but writes, ‘I cannot say I am in love with it. I am feeling A1’. But by July 20th, 1916 he wrote from ‘ a fairly quiet part of the line’. In November, 1916 he acknowledged receipt of a parcel from the firm and was once again ‘in a rough part of the line, up to the knees in mud and in and out of the line.’ He requested socks from the firm and was sent a parcel of hosiery in December, 1916 but he acknowledged that parcel from Ingress Abbey, Military Hospital, Greenhythe, Kent. He has been invalided once more. The reasons are not made clear.

Letters to J.B. Marsden-Smedley

B E F
24.2.18
Dear Sirs
Please accept my most grateful thanks for the parcel which you so kindly sent January 23rd. I am sorry I could not reply earlier as I have only just returned from leave & found the parcel awaiting me, my pals having saved it which was quite unusual, as it is the general custom for the men to make use of any parcels which may come for anyone who is away from the Battn, so I was quite fortunate. I need hardly say the contents were greatly enjoyed as indeed everything is which we get from England.
Am pleased to say I am in the best of health & spirits but shall be pleased when it is all over & hope we all shall have the good luck to get back to the old place again.
Wishing the firm every success
I am your sincerely,
Sgt W. Broomhead

[PRE PRINTED JOHN SMEDLEY POSTCARD FRANKED 19th DEC 1917 CENSOR STAMP NO 3568
Counter signed F Edwards]
18/12/17
Sirs
Please accept thanks for parcel which I have received quite safely, I am sure contents will be most useful. Wishing the compliments of the Season & every success to the firm
I am yours sincerely
Sgt William Broomhead

1.9.17
Dear Sirs
I was very pleased to receive parcel from you for which please accept my best thanks, it arrived in good condition & the contents were very enjoyable as indeed most things English are to us out here. I have had a fairly decent time whilst I have been with this Battn as the Division have not been in any of the very hot places in the line, but we do not know how soon we may get there. I am pleased to say I am in the best of health & hope I shall have the luck to come back to the dear old place again. Wishing you all the best of luck.
Yours truly
Sergt W Broomhead 2/5 Kings Own RL
The envelope you enclosed was damaged & quite useless

Ingress Abbey Mill Hpl
Greenhythe, Kent
19.12.16
Dear Sirs
I was pleased to receive the parcel you sent to me, for which please accept my most grateful thanks. I am sure it is very kind of you to think of us & to send so useful a present. I am feeling far better since coming over here & expect to be discharged any day & shall be glad to see dear old Lea & Holloway again.
Wishing you the Compliments of the Season
I am
Yours Obediently
Cpl W Broomhead

10/11/16
Dear Sir
I was very pleased to receive parcel & letter from you a few days ago, for which please accept my best thanks. They had been delayed a few days on the way & I would have replied before only we have been in a rough part of the line, where writing has been practically an impossibility. I do not think a more suitable parcel could have been sent, it was excellent + I enjoyed it, as only such as ourselves out here could.
I have enjoyed fairly good health since coming out here & am feeling as fit as I think is possible under the present conditions, it is a rough part of the line we are in, up to the knees in mud, which makes it very bad for us, for although we get a clean pair of socks on going in and out of the line, our feet are nearly always wet and cold, so I would be very pleased if you would send me a pair of socks [THIS IS UNDERLINED IN BLUE CRAYON, BY JBM-S??], they are always useful & are our best comfort, I do not think there is anything I am in need of at present, as we are pretty well supplied with clothes so again thanking you for your kindness & thought & with best wishes for all at dear old Lea and Holloway which I hope to have the pleasure of seeing again,
I am, yours obediently
Cpl W Broomhead

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Commonside, Lea

Forename	Surname	Relationship	Age	Occupation	Where born
William	Broomhead	Head	46	Card minder woollen	Cromford
Margaret	Broomhead	wife	47		Bole Hill
Fanny	Broomhead	daughter	17	Hosiery machinist	Holloway
Harriett	Broomhead	daughter	15	Shirt machinist	Holloway
Margarett	Broomhead	daughter	13	Shirt machinist	Holloway
William	Broomhead	son	10		Holloway
Hannah	Broomhead	daughter	8		Holloway

RG13 piece 3235 folio 59 page 5

1911: Hillside Holloway

Forename	Surname	Relationship	Age	Occupation	Where born
Margaret	Broomhead	Head (widow)	58		Bole Hill
Harriett	Broomhead	daughter	25	Machinist hosiery goods	Holloway
Margarett	Broomhead	daughter	23	Machinist hosiery goods	Holloway
William	Broomhead	son	20	Press hand hosiery goods	Holloway
Hannah	Broomhead	daughter	18	Cutter out hosiery goods	Holloway

RG14PN21013 RG78PN1253 RD436 SD6 ED11 SN115

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