Stephen Fox Broomhead, the Fox name comes from his grandmother’s maiden name, was younger than his brother James who was also killed in  the war.

Stephen was born in August 1899 and when he was 11 or 12 years had a part-time job as news boy, perhaps there was newsagent in  the row of shops opposite house near the Rising Sun at Nethergreen. (census 1911)

Stephen was amongst the first to enlist, presenting himself at the recruiting officer when he was a month from his 18th birthday. However, he wasn’t called up until February 1917.

Like James, Stephen was of below average height, being 5′ 2″. He was a butcher before being called up.

Stephen joined the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment and was at Horton Training Camp (near Bradford?) when he was late returning to barracks, an offence for which he was confined to brracks for four days.

In October 1917 he crossed the channel for the first time, landing at Boulougne, like so many young men. 

Stephen Broomhead was killed in action of 24th February 1918. It apears that his body was buried in a makeshift grave on the battlefield (the battle has not been identified). His body was later exhumed and reburied at Aeroplane Cemetery in Belgium. Stephen’s grave is one of a group of four that have the bodies of men of the same battalion.

The headstone has the dedication “EVER IN OUR THOUGHTS”