Cpl 16680 Geoffrey Frank Rose

• Age: 23
• From: Dudley,Worcs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16680 Corporal Geoffrey Frank ROSE 18^th Battalion KLR.

Geoffrey Frank Rose was born in Dudley, Worcestershire on 18^th July 1892, the son of Arthur Thomas Frederick Rose, and his wife Emily (nee Stokes) who were married in 1882 in Dudley. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 33 Russell Street, Dudley. Geoffrey is 8 years old and is living with his parents and two siblings. His father is 46 years of age and is a sand merchant - employer born in Moxley, Staffs, whilst his mother is 35 and was born in Dudley. His two siblings, both born in Dudley are recorded as Joseph C. aged 16 and Arthur C aged 10. Also present in the household is Emily Flavell aged 17 and a servant. 

By 1911 the family have relocated to Liverpool. Geoffrey is 18 and is described as a construction engineering student. He lives with his parents and two siblings at 31 Island Road, Garston. His father is now 56 and described as an inspecting engineer, whilst his mother is now 46. His siblings are listed as Arthur Carl aged 20 and a clerk in a copper works and Florence Mary aged 3 who was born in Dudley. His parents advise that they have been married for 28 years and all four of their children have survived. Also present are Elizabeth Annie Vernon aged 18 listed as a servant and Minnie Holmes aged 16 and listed as a nurse.  

Geoffrey enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 03^rd September 1914, aged 22 years 47 days, and gave his occupation as an engineer (he had served an apprenticeship which ended in 1912 with Morton & Company of Garston) and his next of kin as his father of 29 Clarendon Road, Garston. He was described as being 5' 9" tall, weight 140lbs, 38” chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain.

On 18^th October 1915 he was appointed Lance Corporal (Unpaid) and on 01^st November 1915 as paid Lance Corporal. He sailed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on the 7^th November 1915. On 1^st January 1916 he was promoted to Corporal and between 25^th March and 7^th April 1916 was attached to 30^th Division Grenade School. On 27^th May 1916 he was admitted to 97^th Field Ambulance having sustained a shrapnel wound to his face and on 31^st May resumed with his unit.

On 01^st July 1916 he was killed in action at Montauban, aged 23 years.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak too highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

Geoffrey has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

The Liverpool Echo of 21st July 1916 reported his death: 

“A DEAR BRAVE LAD.” 

"Corporal Geoffrey Frank Rose, aged twenty three, of the 'Pals,' son of Mr.and Mrs. Rose, has been killed. He joined in August, 1914. The late Colonel Trotter, from whom his parents had a letter, spoke of Corporal Rose as a 'dear, brave lad, and a splendid soldier.'"

Also

ROSE July 1, killed in action, aged 23 years, Corporal Geoffrey Frank (“Pals”), dearly-beloved son of Arthur and Minnie Rose, Brooklands, Garston.

Liverpool Daily Post 7th Aug 1916 

Killed. 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Rose, 16680, Corpl. G. (Liverpool);  

He left estate valued at £207 7s 2d (based on average earnings in 2016 this is worth approximately £56,200.00).

Probate 1917:-  

ROSE Geoffrey Frank of Brooklands Island-Road, Garston Liverpool died 1 July 1916 in France on active service Probate London 25 January to Arthur Thomas Frederick Rose inspecting engineer. Effects £207 7s 2d. 

Geoffrey is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Garston Roll of Honour

Garston War Memorial

St Michael’s Parish Church, Church Road, Garston.

As of July 1919 his siblings were declared as Reverend Joseph Claude Rose (Chaplains Force) aged 35 who was in France with the Army of occupation, Arthur Carl aged 28 described as an actor of no fixed abode and Florence Mary aged 12.   

Soldiers Effect and Pension to father Arthur T.F., “Brooklands”, Island Road, Garston. 

Father died aged 74 on the 20th April 1927 at Widnes Hospital. 

Probate:-  

ROSE Arthur Thomas Frederick of Brooklands Island-Road, Garston near Liverpool died 20 April 1927 at the hospital Widnes, Lancashire Probate London 2 July to Emily Rose widow and the Reverend Joseph Claude Rose clerk. Effects £235 8s 9d. 

Mother died aged 67 on the 18th Oct 1931 in Garston. 

Probate:-  

ROSE Emily of Evantide, Garston Old Road, Garston Liverpool widow died 18 October 1931 Probate Liverpool 15 December to Florence Mary Rose spinster. Effects £758 1s 1d. 

We currently have no further information on Geoffrey Frank Rose, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.