John Thomas Rose
Lance Corporal 1270 - 4th Bn. Guards Machine Gun Regiment
Killed in action on Friday 23rd August 1918 age 23
Buried in Douchy-les-Ayette Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France
John Thomas Rose was born at Keele, about 1893, to David Rose from Heather, Leics.,
aged 29 and his wife, Mary, from Silverdale, about 25.
In 1901 the family were living at Keele Lodge. David was a police constable and John’s
older siblings were Frederick, Elizabeth and Annie, with Amy Anne aged 3 and Percy just
born. Two years later the Roses were in Stafford,
where Elsie was born.
David Rose became Police Sergeant in Gnosall, and
his children Ettie, Frank and Kittie were born in Gnosall
between 1906 and 1909.
By 1911 he had retired and was now listed as a police
pensioner and dealer. The family were living in Station
Road. John, aged 15, was working as a farm labourer.
His sister Amy aged 13 was now working as a servant
for the Gilling family in Lichfield Road, Stafford. (In
1936 she married Frank Stacey who owned a timber
yard by the chip shop, and Old Stacey’s in the High
Street is named after the sweet shop she ran there.)
John enlisted in Gnosall into the Welsh Guards as a
Private, 2261, but later became Lance Corporal 1270 in
the 4th Bn. Guards Machine Gun Regiment and was
awarded the Victory and British medals.
He was killed in action on Friday 23rd August 1918,
age 23, and was buried in Douchy-les-Ayette
Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. I.C.9.
“A memory prized far more than gold
His worth to us can ne’er be told” – Mrs M Rose, 107 Sandon Road, Stafford
“Son of David and Mary Rose of 107, Sandon Road, Stafford. “
David Rose survived to 1946; his wife Mary had died two years previously.
Family home 1911
Douchy-les-Ayette Cemetery
Historical Information
Douchy-les-Ayette was in German occupation from October, 1914 to the 21st March,
1917. In March, 1918, the enemy advanced as far as the Communal Cemetery, and held it
for a few days. The village was never completely evacuated by the inhabitants. It
contained a German Cemetery of 380 graves, now removed.
The British Cemetery was begun in August and September, 1918, by the 3rd Division
Burial Officer; and the 81 graves then made are scattered among eight Rows in what are
now Plots II and IV. It was enlarged after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from
the battlefields of Arras and the Ancre and from other burial grounds