Great Great Uncle
sent in by
Mark Crame
A few weeks ago I was preparing for a trip to the Western Front
to retrace
the steps of my Great Grandfather, Sergeant Frederick Crame of the
16th
Lancers, in the first month of the Great War. My father suddenly remembered
that some of his other grandfathers brothers had also served in the
Great
War. One, Oswald Roe, was killed. And so I came to learn of him, remember
him, and pay my resepects to the Great Great Uncle I never knew.
22993 Private Oswald 'Ossie' Herbert Roe
Born in Aylsham, Norfolk and registered as Herbert Oscar Roe in the
June
Quarter of 1884, the 1891 Census records Oswald Roe, aged 7, as a
scholar
living at Mill House, Aylsham with his father Frederic, a 40 year
old
Relieving Officer born in Aylsham and mother Emily, who was 44 and
born in
Lockesley, Hampshire, as well as his spinster aunt, Sarah Chapman,
aged 73.
Oswald had 3 brothers, Frederic, the eldest at 15, Robert Leonard
who was
12, Reginald aged 10 and his sister Beatrice who was 8. All the children
had
been born in Aylsham. In the 1901 census he is recorded as a drapers
apprentice, still living at home in Aylsham with his parents and Frederick,
Leonard and Beatrice. Oswald married during the September Quarter
of 1910 in
Hendon, Middlesex.
During the First World War he enlisted at Harrow, Middlesex and was
killed
in action on Monday 16th April 1917 whilst serving with the 20th (Service)
battalion (4th Salford) of the Lancashire Fusiliers, which was formed
in
Salford on 23rd March 1915 by Mr Montague Barlow MP, and the Salford
Brigade
Committee as a Bantam Battalion. In August 1915 it was attached to
104th
Brigade, 35th Division. At the time of Oswalds death the Battalion
were in
the St Quentin area following-up the German retreat to the Hindenburg
Line.
On 15th April, they took part in a divisional assault on the village
of
Fayet to the northwest of St Quentin and a ridge position running
slightly
north. The 20th attacked a sunken track on the ridge, leading from
the
village of Pontruet to a farm, les Trois Sauvages, to the east of
Gricourt.
They were apparently successful, and on the 16th they sent patrols
towards
an enemy trench south east of Pontruet, but it was unoccupied and
no enemy
were found. They withdrew into reserve on the 17th. The 104th Brigade
had
casualties totalling around 400 men of all ranks.
Oswald had previously been 128540 of the Royal Garrison Artillery
and 37171
Private Roe of the Lancashire Fusiliers. At the time of his death
he was
registered as being married to Mrs M. Roe of 20 Cornwall Road, Harrow,
Middlesex, and he is buried at Chapelle British Cemetery in the village
of
Holnon, 6 kilometres west of St Quentin in the Aisne Departement of
France;
Grave Reference IV.E.12.
We found the cemetery. Being winter time the headstones lacked their
usual
cleanliness. Fortunately we had not only our crosses of remembrance
but some
half full bottles of water. sadly not enough for cleaning Corporal
John
Barlow, also of the Lancashire Fusiliers and another casualty of that
day.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
I can add this about his neighbour:
He lies next to 20-year-old 21719 Corporal John Barlow, also of
the 20th Battalion and who died the same day. Barlow was born at Garton,
Lancashire and enlisted at Salford and was the son of John and Rhoda
Barlow of 10 Byrom St, Longsight, Manchester.
