William Henry Broome was born in Kidderminster on the 7th of May 1914, the second child of parents Miller and Sarah Broome (nee Grove). William’s ‘big sister’ was Nellie, she’d been born in 1911, three years before William.

At the time of William’s birth, his father was working in one of the town’s carpet mills as an axminster setter. However, when war came Miller Broome signed up to serve King and Country. William was just four-years-of-age when his father died…

Whilst serving in France with the Worcestershire Regiment, William’s dad had fallen ill and had been sent back home for treatment. Tragically, Private Miller Broome died of Bronchitis whilst being treated at the Burdon Hotel Military Hospital in Weymouth.

Today, William’s father rests under a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) headstone in Kidderminster Cemetery (his Christian-name is sometimes seen transcribed as ‘Millar’ rather than Miller).

Miller’s passing left just mum Sarah, young Nellie and even younger William to keep the family home going at number 37 Wood Street.

Sarah’s widow’s pension of twenty-five shillings a week would have helped, but times would still have been tough for William and Nellie as they were growing up. William was made of stern stuff however, even as a young lad. He became a member of the Boys Brigade at an extremely young age, playing an ever more prominent role in the organisation as the years passed by.

In terms of his education, all through his formative years at St. Johns Day School, William (or ‘Bill’ as he was now known to everyone), proved himself a most conscientious young student, excelling in every aspect. He would have most surely excelled in further education but with his Mum being a war widow, a boost to the household income was needed far more than any examination certificates. So, as a fourteen-year-old, Bill Broome went looking for work – thankfully, he didn’t have to go far to find it.

Bill gained employment at Dutfield and Quayle’s Carpet Works on Franchise Street, a two minute walk from home.

Within a couple of years Bill was appointed Kidderminster Battalion Secretary for the Boys Brigade. Having started as a lowly bugler, his ability to impress his seniors and gain rapid promotion through hard work and dedication to duty was clearly evident – a trait that would see him excel again later in life.

Bill had also developed a love of rowing; becoming an active member of the Bewdley Rowing Club, where he won quite a haul of trophies, bettering all-comers on the River Severn.

His faith was extremely important to Bill too; he was a regular church-goer and took great interest in the local community of St. John’s Parish, always keen to help those who needed it most.

Whilst enjoying a busy social life, Bill continued to work in the carpet industry for some eleven years – but then, in 1939, with war an inevitability, he joined the army.

Bill joined the Royal Army Ordinance Corps (RAOC) under Lieutenant F.D.H. Burcher in August 1939, heading for France in 1940 (by which time he’d been promoted to Lance Corporal).

He survived the British Expeditionary Force’s evacuation from the Dunkirk beaches, got back to England and was subsequently promoted to full Corporal. Following his exploits in France, the newly promoted Colonel Burcher recommended Bill for a commission and in March 1942, Bill was assigned to an Officer Cadet Training Unit where he trained as an infantry officer, passing out in July 1942 as Head Cadet.

Bill was then posted to the Worcestershire Regiment but a couple of weeks later, received notification of his transfer to the 7th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment. It was whilst with the South Staffs’ that he went to Northern Ireland for an intensive course of battle training.

Whilst in Ireland, he attained the rank of full Lieutenant and on his return to England, in the spring of 1943, he was promoted once again – to the rank of Captain.

It was just a few days after D-Day that Bill sailed for Normandy, where further honours would follow. In August 1944, his battalion was the first British battalion to cross the River Orne and Bill’s contribution had not gone unnoticed.

Because of his distinguished service, Captain Broome was soon promoted to the rank of Major.

Several days later, Bill was transferred back to his home-county regiment; he re-joined the Worcesters...

Bill caught up with the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment early in September 1944, just after they'd crossed the River Seine. He'd joined them as part of a large draft of reinforcements from the 59th Division, which had been disbanded. The majority of this draft were South Staffs’ men, so some geographic affiliation with their new regiment already existed (with Staffordshire bordering Worcestershire). 

It wasn’t long before Bill was in action with the Worcesters, forming part of the ground troops for Operation Market Garden; the joint land-and-air-assault plan to punch a narrow pathway through Holland and then complete a ‘right-wheel’ into Germany itself - hopefully ending the war before Christmas 1944. 

The failure of Market Garden is well known, it really was ‘a bridge too far’ in terms of the ground troops ability to link-up with the airborne troops on such a narrow front, against ever-stiffening German opposition.

As the objectives of Market Garden changed following the realisation that a ‘back door’ into Germany wasn’t going to be achieved, Bill’s battalion (in conjunction with the 7th Somersets) was ordered to attack and take, the German-held town of Elst.

The Germans really didn't want to give Elst up and the going was hard for Bill's battalion; fourteen men of the 1st Worcestershire lost their lives in taking the town, many more were wounded. 

Having buried their dead following the battle for Elst, Bill’s battalion rested in the village of Andelst, just a mile north of the River Waal and seven miles west of Nijmegen.

On the day following the arrival of Bill’s battalion in Andelst (the 27th of September 1944) they were ordered to stand-to in preparation for further action, this time to aid the 7th Somersets who had located enemy in their area to the north.

The Worcesters column, including a Squadron of Sherman tanks, formed up on the road out of Andelst and listened to the sound of battle to their front. 

As they awaited the order to advance, the rain fell in torrents and it was not until they were all thoroughly drenched that they were eventually stood-down.

The next day at 16:00 hours, Bill’s 1st Worcesters relieved the 7th Somersets on the line of a dyke road overlooking the Neder Rijn in the area of the village of Randwijk.

This relief operation was completed by 21:00 hours, with Worcestershire ‘C’ Company on the right, ‘B’ Company in the centre and ‘D’ Company on the left. ‘A’ Company and Battalion H.Q. (including Major Bill Broome) were back in the area of Zetten.

That night the battalion sent out numerous patrols, but the Germans could neither be found nor would they be drawn into a fight. Booby-traps were also set by the Worcesters, with trip-wire activated grenades sown across the riverbank at the approach to the Ferry. The battalion's position on the dyke road was secure.

At dawn the next morning (the 29th of September) Bill saw the Neder Rijn for the first time when he inspected the positions on the dyke road. Throughout that morning the Germans continued to shell the area occupied by the Worcesters. 

‘B’ Company HQ was in a farmhouse (known as ‘Notenboom’) which was situated around 1,000 yards west of Randwijk. Major Bill Broome, Captain Noel Walkins (2 i/c) and a signaller were standing in the kitchen of the farmhouse when a German 88 mm shell came through the window and exploded, wounding Bill and killing outright both Captain Watkins and the company signaller (twenty-year-old Private Fred Marsh, a young Kentish Man).

One of Major Bill Broome’s Lieutenants, Rex Fellows, recalled the incident well:

“I remember speaking to Bill as they carried him out on a stretcher and thinking to myself a need to seek revenge”

Bill was rushed to an Aid Post, then sixteen miles to No. 3 Casualty Clearing station, which was situated in a wooded area known as Jonkers Bosch, just south of Nijmegen. Tragically however, that same day he died of his wounds.

William ‘Bill’ Broome was a truly wonderful soldier. He’d risen through the ranks from Private to Major in less than five years. He’d been ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’ for his actions in the field and he’d won the respect of everyone he’d ever served with.

Today Bill rests under a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) headstone in the tranquil and beautifully maintained Jonkerbos War Cemetery which was established nearby to the original site of the old No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station.

At the foot of Bill’s headstone is the personal inscription chosen by his mother Sarah. It reads:

“TRANQUIL YOU LIE, YOUR MEMORY HALLOWED IN THE LAND YOU LOVED”

The cemetery contains 1,629 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 99 of them unidentified, and 13 war graves of other nationalities.

Back in Blighty, Bill is commemorated on the Kidderminster War Memorial as William Harry Broome (even on official documentation he was often referred to as William ‘Harry’ Broome, even though he was born Willian Henry Broome).

The Kidderminster War Memorial is situated to the front of St. Mary and All Saints Church. Below the names of the fallen on this memorial (which include that of his father, Miller Broome) the following epitaph is inscribed:

“THESE DIED THE NOBLEST DEATH A MAN MAY DIE ~ FIGHTING FOR GOOD AND RIGHT AND LIBERTY ~ AND SUCH A DEATH IS IMMORTALITY”

Bill is also commemorated on the Kidderminster St. John the Baptist Church War Memorial.

Lieut.-General Sir G. Ivor Thomas, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O., M.C., late Commander of the 43rd Wessex Division said of Bill’s Battalion;

" The Battalion never had a failure. If dour, dogged fighting, either in attack or in defence, came our way, if sudden counter-attacks came in from all directions, it always seemed to be the 1st Battalion the Worcestershire Regiment who caught the brunt. Yet, with that Battalion in the thick of it, and on more than one occasion reported as being surrounded, neither I myself nor anyone else ever worried or had the slightest fears as to what the results would be. That is a tribute I am as proud to pay as I was to have the Battalion under my command."

Rest In Peace Major William ‘Bill’ Broome ~ a truly wonderful soldier ~ your bravery will never be forgotten ~ your sacrifice remembered For Evermore

Footnote: Bill's comrade, Lieutenant (later Captain) Rex Fellows, did indeed gain some level of revenge for Bills death; he survived every battle the battalion subsequently fought in, despite always leading his men from the front. For his valour, he was awarded the Military Cross.

Acknowledgements:

This story could not have been told were it not for the wonderful team at the Kidderminster Museum of Carpet; most especially Geoff, Jill and Jean. Very many thanks to you all. www.museumofcarpet.org.uk

Background information: “The First Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment in North West Europe” by Major D.Y. Watson (soft cover, no publishing details).

Regimental history details: www.worcestershireregiment.com