Netley Military Cemetery - research about the people who are laid to rest there - Roc

10592 Private

W. ROCHELL

S. Staffordshire Regt.

Died 24th November 1915

Burial record states that William died in the University War Hospital southampton aged 39.

11648 Guardsman

G.A. RODDIS

Grenadier Guards

Died 6th November 1914 Age 29

At Peace

Charles Arthur died of wounds. His father was Walter and he had a sister Ida - Army Registers of Soldiers Effects.

11495 Corporal

G.E. ROGERS

Royal Engineers

Died 19th April 1915

George Edward died from Scepticemia. He was married to Norah - Army Registers of Soldiers Effects.

63636 Bombardier

J. ROSS

Royal Field Artillery

Died 3rd July 1916

Joseph Faulds

219675 Gunner

S.W.J. ROWE

Royal Garrison Artillery

Died 5th October 1920

Samuel William John was the son of Annie - Army Registers of Soldiers Effects.

L/12463 Lance Serjt.

E.G. ROWLEY

Royal Fusiliers

Died 27th July 1917

Ernest Gordon was born in Essex. The CWG website states that Ernest was awarded a Military Medal but it isn't listed on his medal card.

The following article was sent to me by Catherine Switzer in response to my request in the Echo newspaper for stories about the soldiers buried in the cemetery.

6693 Private
Andrew RUSSELL

1^st battalion, The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders

Died 22 September 1914 age 30

Peace Perfect Peace

Until The Day Dawn

Andrew Russell was the son of Andrew and Eliza Russell of Newtownards. Andrew senior had been a professional soldier and had served in the Zulu war in 1879. No less than five of the couple’s sons – Joseph, John, Andrew, Samuel and Thomas – saw action during the Great War, along with their son-in-law Thomas Clarke. 'All honour to them,' commented the Chronicle in 1914, 'and all honour to the mother
who bore them.'

Andrew was an army reservist, which meant that when war was declared on 4 August 1914, he was called back to his regiment, the Cameron Highlanders. At that time, he was living in Templemore Street, Belfast, and working in the shipyards. He had married less than a year before and his wife Mary was heavily pregnant when he was called away.

The 1^st Cameron Highlanders were amongst the first battalions sent to France in the
attempt to stem the German advance. While on active service, Andrew made sure
to send postcards back to his mother in Mark Street to make sure she knew he
was well. Eliza received a postcard from Andrew dated 4 September, but heard
nothing more for several weeks.

Unknown to those at home, Andrew's battalion engaged with the German army near the Chemin des Dames. September 14 dawned amid heavy rainfall and mist, which prevented the Highlanders maintaining proper observation of the enemy and made the job of holding their position against strong German attacks even more difficult than it already was.

Their war diary records that, in these confused and difficult conditions, ‘Throughout the day the behaviour of the battalion was magnificent. On September 20^th,
Sir John French told the Brigadier that the results of the action had been most
important and highly recommended the conduct of the Brigade.’

Andrew Russell would definately have taken part in this fighting but the records do not show whether he was wounded during this action, or in the day or two following. On the 19th September he was admitted to a military hospital in Netley near Southampton with a bullet wound to the chest. He died four days later.

The tragedy of his death was compounded by the fact that, back in Belfast, his wife had given birth to a baby girl on 20th September. It is unlikely that this information would have reached Andrew before he died. The Chronicle concluded it's report of Andrew's death with the hope that "in her depths of sorrow, it will doubtless be some consolation to (Mary Russell) to realise that her husband met his death in a noble cause, fighting for the honour of his King and his country"

Andrew was the first Newtownards man to die during the war but, as the town war memorial shows, he was far from the last. He is buried in Netley Military Cemetery in Southampton, and is also commemorated on the Newtownards war memorial, and in St Mark's Parish church.

My thanks to Catherine and her father for letting me use their research.

His effects were sent to his widow Mary.

Burial no 1587 Church of England