Getting know my great Great Uncle

[Mark Crame]

As some of you know, 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.

[Derek Robertson]

Thanks for sharing Mark, lovely pics.

[Blackblue]

Very nice Mark. Many Thanks.

Tim D

[ian turner]

Mark,

Doesn't this just show how the more we look, the more we see? Start off on the track of one rellie and then next thing you know there were others who served. Thanks for the thread.

One thing that I notice, and maybe other pals can comment, is the state of many of the headstones. I've been to plenty military cemeteries but don't remember the headstones being so covered in algy. Is this common, or a recent state of affairs with CWGC cutting back on maintenance costs? I saw the same in your ''At the going down of the sun'' pics.

Ian

[Mark Crame]

Thanks for the comments.

All the headstones in all the places we went to were pretty much like that. His was under a tree so therefore particularly bad. I would say almost definitely it is down to the time of year - i've never seen it elsewhere before, and the CWGC certainly aren't the kind of people to neglect their duties in this way. The thing is, can you scrub down a whole cemetery? I guess they must do once the weather improves, or maybe the sun dries the crap up and it's washed off with the rain?

[CarylW]

Mark

Interesting post and pictures. Good that you got to know about your great uncle before your visit and did so much research in a short space of time!

As Ian says we start off on one track and find others who served

This is one of the many things I like about this forum, the personal stories

Caryl

[Melui]

The memorial cross reminds me of the one at Hexham in Northumberland. I read the following description in the local newspaper of the time of its erection:

'Upon the shaft is a Crusader’s sword in bronze, about 11 ft 6 ins in length. Facing east, as the early morning sun strikes the sword, it gleams as of burnished gold.'

I wonder how many were designed to gleam in the early morning sun, and how many, if any, still do.

Marion

[Mark Crame]

No idea Marion. I think they are a standard design, but 90 years of weathering puts paid to any notion of gleaming!