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Record #6442
Name :
: Albert Edward ROSCOE (1883 - 1915)
  aka : A. E. Roscoe


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1883

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 24 May 1915   Notes : Killed in Action
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Lancashire, Chorlton
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialBelgium, Vimy Ridge
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: Apr 1893
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Vancouver

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Barnardos
NotesA birth registration was found for Albert Edward Roscoe: Year of Registration: 1883; Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep; District: Chorlton; County: Lancashire; Volume: 8c; Page: 772. Parents: Walter Roscoe and Margarent Cooner, married 1883, Chorlton, Lancashire, England.

In 1893, A. E. Roscoe, 9, arrived at Quebec, Canada, in a group of Barnardo children en route to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Sister, Lily Roscoe, arrived in Canada, in 1894, on the Sarnia in a group of 34 children accompanied by Rev. Mr. Wallace, and en route to Belleville, Ontario, Canada. Brother Frederick William Roscoe was sent to the training ship in Isle of Wight sometime between 1893-1894. There had been a story in the family that Frederick deserted the training ship and went and joined the Army in 1898 where he stayed until he and his family immigrated to New Zealand in the 1930s.)

Albert was placed, and "adopted" by Caleb and Catherine Bateman of Stirling, Ontario, Canada. He remained close to this family until his death in 1915.

Around 1904, Albert moved to Saskatchewan and took up farming.

On September 24, 1914, at Valcartier Camp, Quebec, Canada, Albert Edward Roscoe, 24, enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces. He declared that he was born in Belfast, Ireland; that his next of kin was Mrs. Caleb Bateman, who resided in Stirling, Ontario, Canada; that he was born December 24, 1890; that he was not married; that he was a clerk; and that he had previously served for 4 years in the 49th Rifles. He was described as 5 foot 5-1/2 inches in height; dark complexion; dark brown eyes; black hair. He was a member of the Church of England.

Only days before his death, Albert wrote to his adopted mother, Mrs. Catherine Bateman:

"Belgium
May 13, 1915
Mrs. Caleb Bateman
Stirling, Ont.

Dear Mrs. Bateman,

I hope you will forgive me in not writing home before now, as I have been very busy in our drill just before the great battle of Ypres. A few years ago, when I was home with the rest of your family, little did we think of what would happen between two great powers of the world. If Germany would fight like the British did the days that we were in the raging battle they would have been driven on their own soil, but they only checked us by using poisonous gases. We lost a great many men and also our company lost three officers. One of our officers, Major, died since of wounds. Major Sanderman and Lieut. Simpson severely wounded, Lieut. Mason killed in action, and men after men fell around me, a great many killed and a very large number wounded, although there will be a good number of the boys come back again shortly as they only have slight wounds. Our brigade you know is the second.

The Germans thought we Canadians would run because we were not like the English troops, but they found out to their sorrow we did run but the wrong way to their liking. Although they used gases to shift us we came back with such force that we mowed them down like a mowing machine mows down hay. I do not know how I came to be alive today, it is more than I can explain. I helped to carry our wounded soldiers out from the trenches into safety back about a mile on stretchers, then we would to back again under heavy shell fire which was fierce. My kit was blown clear off my back in which I lost my razor, comb, underwear, socks, towel and soap. Now I have not got any, and a good many other boys are like me, so we are letting our whiskers grow until we are issued with a razor. Well mother I will not say much more about the battle for I can't help but shed tears when I think of my close comrades that have been killed on the field of battle, you can get a better account of it when you read the papers of us in the second brigade. The brigade contains the following battalions, 5th, 7th, 8th, and tenth battalions under the command of General Currie of Vancouver, B.C.

Well, we were in the trenches 22 days, and the first nine days were terrible. After the battle we did not know just where to find our battalion, we were all mixed up with French and English soldiers, but when the roll came what was left in our battalion we had got mustered together fairly well, so now we are all pretty well lined up again and all the contingent made up in strength once more.

We are about 20 miles back of the firing line resting a bit, and we can still hear the roar of the big guns, and in the evening all the boys join in singing hymns and speaking of the boys which are dead and wounded, although there were about a dozen taken prisoners but got away again. We got a number of German prisoners as well.

When we first started out in February we were put in the trenches along with British regulars, and the coolness of these men made us settle down like ourselves. Then we took over other trenches on our own.

Our casualties were not very heavy at Neuve Chapelle as we only kept the enemy busy at rapid fire so they dare not send troops to help them. At the present as I write a big battle is raging on the right flank. The noise of the guns is deafening. The machine guns are a madly roar. My people in this country are very good to me. I get all sorts of parcels, cake and other things.

I passed through a very large city both in France and Belgium, and it was pitiful to see the ruins caused by the Germans. I saw a great many beautiful homes, churches and catherdrals totally destroyed, and the city of Ypres was more than human tongue can tell. Surely the German nation will be held responsible for all this. I tell you there is no mercy for any German that gets in our boys' hands even after the war.

Well mother, we are to move for the trenches again in a few days, and this may be my last letter but I trust not. So I trust your are all in the best of health as I am at the present, and remember me to all my friends.

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous summer, I remain

A true Britisher
Albert E. Roscoe"

A report of his death and burial was sent to Mrs. Bateman soon afterwards:

"May 29, 1915
1st Canadian Contingent
2nd Inf. Bdge
5th Batt.
29, 5, 15

Mrs. C. Bateman
Stirling, Ontario

Dear Madam,
Pte. A. Roscoe asked me to write to you if anything happened to him. You will have heard the news of his death by this time. I wish to express on behalf of myself and his comrades our sympathy with you in this loss. He died game. He helped to capture a strong German position on May 24th, but unfortunately got hit while calling for some one to help him bring in a wounded man. We were able to get his body and buried him near a little village called Festubert.

Yours very truly
L.T. Page, Lieut."

Albert Edward Roscoe's name is one of the over 11,000 names found on the Vimy Memorial of Canadian soldiers whose graves are not known. 
ContributorsCreated : 2009-04-04 19:40:39 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-04-05 13:29:27 /

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Surnames starting with:   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  4 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
6442 ROSCOE, Albert Edward1883ENG, LAN, Chorlton Apr 1893 : Vancouver CAN Barnardos  
8459 ROSCOE, Elizabeth1883ENG,     May 1894 : Sarnia CAN Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)  
26343 ROSCOE, Susan1886ENG,     May 1902 : Dominion CAN Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)  
23410 ROSCOE, William1895ENG,     Dec 1912 : Virginian CAN Unknown