Cpl
Thomas Roebuck

Informatie over geboorte

Geboortejaar:
1890
Geboorteplaats:
Salford, Lancashire, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Algemene Informatie

Beroep:
Voerman

Informatie legerdienst

Land:
Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk
Strijdmacht:
British Expeditionary Force
Rang:
Corporal
Service nummer:
18790
Dienstneming plaats:
Manchester, Lancashire, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk
Eenheden:
 —  King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), 8th Bn.  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Informatie over overlijden

Datum van overlijden:
26/09/1917
Plaats van overlijden:
Mühle, België
Doodsoorzaak:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Leeftijd:
27

Gedenkplaats

Tyne Cot Memorial
Paneel: 18

Onderscheidingen en medailles 3

1914-15 Star
Medaille — 04/09/1919
British War Medal
Medaille — 17/04/1920
Victory Medal
Medaille — 17/04/1920

Points of interest 2

#1 Geboorteplaats
#2 Dienstneming plaats

Mijn verhaal

Thomas Roebuck was born in the spring of 1890 in Salford, Lancashire. He was the son of Joseph and Emma Roebuck and according to the 1911 census he was a general carter before enlisting. A couple of months later he married his sweetheart, Martha Burgess at St. Stephen in Salford. By September 1917 Thomas served as a corporal in the 8th King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), part of the 76th Brigade, of the 3rd Division.

On 26 September 1917 the 3rd Division supported the northern flank of the Australian attack on Polygon Wood. The 76th Brigade attacked right of the Ypres-Roulers railway, advancing to the ruined village of Zonnebeke. The 8th King’s Own and the 1st Gordon Highlanders were to capture and consolidate the first objective. At zero hour 5.50 a.m. the 8th King’s Own advanced towards Mühle and Tokio, while the Gordon Highlanders went towards the St. Joseph institute. The men were briefly held up as they sought a crossing point over the Hanebeek stream, but overall they encountered little resistance. By 7.10 a.m. it was reported that the first objective had been consolidated.

Now, the 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, together with the 2nd Suffolks, moved through and continued to the final objective. But their attack soon lost momentum and heavy machinegun fire coming from the Zonnebeke station forced them to consolidate positions at the western outskirts of the village, just short of their objectives. Although the German line was thinly held and most objectives had been taken, the real danger came from counter-attacks and artillery fire. During the afternoon the positions of the King’s Own and Gordons were heavily shelled with shrapnel, high explosive and gas shells. The shelling continued without a break for the next forty-eight hours, causing heavy casualties. As a result the 3rd Division had the highest casualties of all the units deployed on 26 September. Thirty-four officers were killed, 100 were wounded and 3 went missing; 463 men were dead, 2.573 wounded and 859 were missing. Casualties for the 8th battalion were in the hundreds.

Corporal Thomas Roebuck was killed in action on the 26 September 1917. The 27-year old possibly fell while holding the line at Mühle Ridge, which was frequently shelled during the 26th. His remains were not identified and he is remembered on panel 18 of the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Bronnen 6

"Kitchener's Men. The King's Own Royal Lancasters on the Western Front 1915-1918.", Hutton J., Barnsley, Pen & Sword, 2008, pg. 181-182.
Gebruikte bronnen
"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 96-97.
Gebruikte bronnen
Ancestry
http://home.ancestry.co.uk/
Verdere verwijzing
CWGC
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/828076/roebuck,-thomas/
Gebruikte bronnen
The Long, Long Trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/
Gebruikte bronnen
War Diary King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), 8th Bn.
http://www.nmarchive.com/
Verdere verwijzing