Selected Biographies

Bloomfield, Ernest William – Born: Yaxley, Suffolk in 1873.  Parents: Henry Bloomfield (Timber Carter) and Charlotte Elizabeth. Home: Cottage, Ipswich Road, Yaxley, Suffolk (1891), 3 The Street, Yaxley, Suffolk (1901), The White Hart Inn, St Mary’s Street, Long Melford (1911), 84 Melford Road, Sudbury, Suffolk (1921).  Occupation: Timber Carter (1911 to 1921).  Married: Ada Stanhope of Long Melford in 1915.  Service Record: No definitive military record found.  Died: Braintree, Essex in 1937.

Bloomfield, Ephraim James – Born: Ashfield, Suffolk on 11.6.1881.[1]  Parents: Ephraim Charles Bloomfield (Horseman) and Eliza [née Smith].  Home: Goose Lane, Ashfield, Suffolk (1881 to 1891), lodging with Arthur Rowe at Kenton Corner, Kenton, Suffolk (1901), Flemings Hall Cottages, Bedingfield, Eye, Suffolk (1911), Westgate Cottage, Westgate Street, Long Melford [1915], Station Road, Long Melford [1915], Cley House, Finkle Street, Worlingworth, Suffolk [1919] to (1921), 2 Red Cottages, Tannington, Suffolk (1939).  Occupation: Horseman on Farm (1901 to 1911), Agricultural Labourer (1921), Stockman and ARP Warden (1939).  Married: Florence Mabel Artiss in 1906.  Military Record: Ephraim enlisted on 25.1.1915 as Gnr.1140 with 3^rd East Anglian Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, transferring on 21.5.1915 as Gnr.436 to N^o. 4 Section, 54^th East Anglian Divisional Ammunition Column.  He was posted to France from 18.11.1915 to 22.1.1916 and to Egypt from 10.2.1916 to 17.2.1919, transferring on 14.12.1918 as Gnr.876767 of CCLXXII Brigade, RFA, receiving his discharge in April 1919.[2]  Died: Hartismere, Suffolk in 1954.

Bloomfield, George David – Born: West Hanningfield, Essex on 18.11.1890.[3]  Parents: George Bloomfield (Agricultural Labourer) and Sarah [née Daniels].  Family Connections: Brother-in-law of Bertie Allen [b1886], William Cornelius Allen [b1891] and Jack John Allen [b1893].  Home: Near the Ship Inn, West Hanningfield, Essex (1891), Galleywood Common, Great Baddow, Essex (1901), living with Daniel Bareham (stepfather) at 4 Ada Cottages, Stebbing, Essex (1911), Sargents Yard, Long Melford (1921), 7 Rodbridge Hill, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1911), Brick Maker for C.H. Westropp of Lyston Brick Yard (1921), General Labourer in Brickworks (1939).  Married: Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Allen of Long Melford in 1914.  Service Record: George enlisted in 1914 as Pte.16510 with 1^st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, being posted to France from 1.4.1915 as part of 84^th Brigade, 28^th Division.  Without an extant Service Record, it is not possible to confirm exactly when he transferred to 9^th [Service] Battalion, Suffolks, before moving on to 11^th [Service] Battalion, Suffolks.  However, whilst 1^st Suffolk was posted to Salonika from October 1915, the other two battalions remained on the Western Front, both seeing action during the Somme Offensive of 1916 and the Battles of Arras the following year.  Private Bloomfield received his discharge in March 1919.[4]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1970.

Notes – [1] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register for Hartismere Rural District in Suffolk. [2] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Medal Roll [WO 329], and Medal Index Card [WO 372]. [3] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Long Melford. [4] Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].