No.13926, Sergeant, Leonard George ROSE M.M.
Aged 34
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Leonard George Rose was born in Drinkstone on 30th January 1883 (1st qtr 1883 Stow 4a:691), son of William and Kezia ROSE (née BUTCHER).
1891 census...Aged 8, he was at Rattlesden Road, Drinkstone with his father William ROSE [42] farm labourer born Woolpit; his mother Keziah [43] born Sicklesmere; sisters Abigail [16], Beatrice [10], Eva [9] and Rebecca [1]; brother Walter J. [14] farm labourer, Cecil R. [6] and Sydney A.[4]. All the children were born in Drinkstone. 1901 census...Aged 18 (now George) a farm labourer, he was at The Green, Drinkstone with his parents; brothers Walter (farm labourer), Cecil (yardman on farm) and Sidney (farm Labourer); sisters Beatrice, Eva and Rebecca. He married Anne Jane ARMSTRONG [28-2-1877] in January 1911. 1911 census...Aged 28, horseman on farm, he was at The Green, Woolpit, with his wife Annie [32] born Castle Bellingham, Co. Louth, Ireland. His parents, sisters Abigail and Rebecca and brothers Cecil and Sidney were at Drinkstone Green. Leonard and Anne had two sons, David George Armstrong [28-8-1911] born Drinkstone and William Eric Rose [2-10-1913] born Woolpit. On the pension card his widow was at Woolpit Green. In 1920 she married Frederick BOBY and lived at Ravensworth, Brooklands Avenue, Cambridge. His brother Cecil was killed was killed in 1917 see here and his brother Sydney was killed in 1916 see here |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds in 1914. From their regimental numbers it looks as if they all signed on together. Certainly Cecil and Sydney
signed side by side. They all served in the 8th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, a practice that was not universally welcomed due to the effect this could
have on a family as this could lead to deaths side by side as well. In this case their deaths were spread over 7 months. The 8th Suffolk on 12th October 1917 were at Pheasant Farm and Rose Trench, and launched an attack between the Ypres-Roulers railway and Houthulst Forest. Lt-Col Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiment" explains that the right company was directed towards the left corner of Poelcappelle. Between Rose trench and the Langemarck-Poelcappelle road a considerable enemy barrage was encountered and after crossing the road companies had to deploy owing to machine gun fire. The whole area was a sea of mud and water filled shell holes, the men having to struggle just to keep from drowning. The valleys of the streams were impassable and the advance was abandoned. In all the attempt had cost the 8th Suffolks 232 casualties, 46 of them killed and 35 of those have no known grave.
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