(Henry) William Cullum

Born: 27 March 1895

Died: 16 April 1917

Rank and Regiment: Gunner 82466 in the 154th Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery

Resting Place: Mindel Trench British Cemetery, St. Laurent-Blangy, Pas de Calais, France - Plot A. 33

Memorials: St. Peter and St. Paul, Barnham Broom, United Kingdom

William was born in 1895 in Little Melton to Henry Cullum, a shepherd, and Evangeline (Eva) Charlotte (nee Gibbs). He was baptised at Hoe, just outside Dereham on 13 August 1899. In 1911, 16-year-old William lived in the family home (The Oaks, Bylaugh, East Dereham) with his parents, his elder sister Agnes, and his little cousin Leonard. His father worked as a shepherd on a farm, and William worked with him as a Shepherd’s Page. In this role he would have looked after the healthy lambs leaving the shepherd to nurse the sick ones.

On 18th October 1914 at the age of 19, William married Ada Lucy Emmerson in Marlingford. Ada was his first cousin; Ada’s mother Eliza and Henry William’s father Henry were brother and sister. A year later on 16th October 1915, they had a child, Henry Charles Cullum, who was born in Costessey.

As the war broke out, William was living in Barnham Broom and enlisted in Norwich on 11 December 1915 at the age of 20 years and 8 months. His profession is listed as ‘Teamster’ and he was recorded to be in excellent physical health, standing at 5ft 10inches. After a short period of training, he disembarked with his battalion in Bologne, France on 31st August 1916. Whilst in France, William was tragically killed in action on 16 April 1917 at the age of 22.

He is buried at the Mindel Trench British Cemetery in France. The inscription on his gravestone, chosen by his wife, reads:

JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING

He was posthumously awarded the British War and Victory Medals. His pension and personal effects including a fountain pen, a bible, the gospel, a metal cigarette case, letters, photos, cards and a stationary wallet were left to Ada. She also received his meagre cash assets which amounted to £3 6s 3d, and later received a War Gratuity of £3. A record also survives of a war pension of 18s 9d a week being paid to Ada for little Henry Charles from October 1917.

Ada kept her married name and remained in Norfolk. In 1933, she married Herbert Abel, a farmer from Wramplingham. They had 40 years together before she passed away in 1974 at the age of 81. Henry, survived both the first and second world wars, and remained in Norfolk until his death on 11 May 1993 aged 77.

Mindel Trench British Cemetery