Pte
John Rollo
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1893 |
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Place of birth: Dundee, Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 235070 |
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Enlistment place: Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Seaforth Highlanders, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: 19 Metre Hill, Poelcapelle, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 24 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 134 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private John Rollo was born in 1893 in Dundee, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland. John married Mary Lowden on the 3rd of October 1913 and had one son by the name of Alfred.
John enlisted in Glasgow and initially joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was taken on by the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (10th Brigade, 4th Division), with whom he would remain until his unfortunate demise.
On the 4th of October 1917 the 2ndBattalion Seaforth Highlanders took part in the Battle of Broodseinde, a sub battle in the Battle of Passchendaele. Jumping off positions were at Eagle Trench with zero hour at 6 am. Two leading platoons of each assaulting company carried trench boards in case of difficulties being found in crossing water and marsh between the starting point and Kangaroo Trench and the Laudetbeek. Due to the boggy ground leading platoons had great difficulties keeping up with the artillery barrage. This brought confusion and resulted in companies being lost, especially on the left where the leading wave walked into their own barrage. Kangaroo trench was reached, but companies kept having difficulties in regaining formation. From Beek street trench on machine gun fire caused considerable casualties on the left flank. Unable to advance further the left had to form a defensive flank as the right assaulting companies captured 19 Metre Hill. A counter attack on 19 Metre Hill could be repulsed. The attack came at a heavy cost, with 23 other ranks killed, 228 wounded, 29 wounded and missing and 71 missing. Pte. John Rollo being one of the many casualties. His body was never found or positively identified and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial on panel 134.
John enlisted in Glasgow and initially joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was taken on by the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (10th Brigade, 4th Division), with whom he would remain until his unfortunate demise.
On the 4th of October 1917 the 2ndBattalion Seaforth Highlanders took part in the Battle of Broodseinde, a sub battle in the Battle of Passchendaele. Jumping off positions were at Eagle Trench with zero hour at 6 am. Two leading platoons of each assaulting company carried trench boards in case of difficulties being found in crossing water and marsh between the starting point and Kangaroo Trench and the Laudetbeek. Due to the boggy ground leading platoons had great difficulties keeping up with the artillery barrage. This brought confusion and resulted in companies being lost, especially on the left where the leading wave walked into their own barrage. Kangaroo trench was reached, but companies kept having difficulties in regaining formation. From Beek street trench on machine gun fire caused considerable casualties on the left flank. Unable to advance further the left had to form a defensive flank as the right assaulting companies captured 19 Metre Hill. A counter attack on 19 Metre Hill could be repulsed. The attack came at a heavy cost, with 23 other ranks killed, 228 wounded, 29 wounded and missing and 71 missing. Pte. John Rollo being one of the many casualties. His body was never found or positively identified and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial on panel 134.
Sources 5
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.co.uk/ Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/828143/john-rollo/ Sources used |
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Great War Dundee https://www.greatwardundee.com/entry/john-rollo/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used |
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War Diary 2nd Bn. Seaforth Highlanders https://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used |