Private John Edward Roach aged 22
Private John Edward Roach aged 22
John Edward Roach was born in Bradford on 27th March 1896.
In the 1901 census, Father John, born in Manchester, and Mother Mary Elizabeth, born in Bradford, both aged 27 were living at 4 Paper Hall Square in Bradford. By 1911 he was no longer with his parents, who now had another son Philip (b.1906) and were living at Wilfred St, Bradford. John Edward would have only been 15 years old, so where was he? Well he was at a Roman Catholic Reformatory School in East Yorkshire so he must have got himself into a bit of trouble!
It’s not clear when he moved to Luddenden, but it is thought that he enlisted in 1914, as the few surviving records of his time in the military show that he served in the Balkans in October 1915. So he would only have lived in Luddenden for a couple of years at the most.
The Hebden Bridge Times 10 May 1918 states:
“Official news has been received that Pte Alfred Lee of Thompson’s Buildings L’foot and Pte Jack Roache, Halifax Lane, Luddenden, both in the Duke of Wellington Regiment have been killed in action.
They were both on the roll of honour at St Walburga’s Church, L’foot”
The War Diaries for the 2nd Duke of Wellingtons in April 1918 are also brief: April 1st – Battalion holding the Army Lines in support. Enemy shelling heavily.
April 2nd – Battalion still holding Army Lines. Situation quiet.
April 3rd – Relieved and moved back to Intermediate Line on Eastern outskirts of St Laurent au Blangy (near Arras). 2 companies in trenches and 2HQ and 2 companies in cellars in village.
April 4th – Nothing to report.
April 5th – Battalion moved up the line to Broken Hill to River Scarpe to relieve 2nd Seaforth Highlanders and Somerset LI
April 6th – Battalion holding the line. Nothing to report.'
The writer of these diaries clearly thought that casualties didn’t require anything more that “Nothing to report”.
Jack's service records no longer exist, but he was awarded both the Victory Medal and the 15 Star, with a note that he served in the Balkans late in 1915.
The Commonwealth War Grave Commission state that he died from his wounds on 6th April 1918.
John is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.