THOMAS DUDLEY ROUSE

Born: 21st April 1888, Ipswich.

Died: 28th October 1917; age 29; KiA – Trenches South of Passchendaele.

Residence: Quebec, Canada.

Occupation: a Musician.

Enlistment Details: Date: 22nd September 1914; Location: Valcantier, Quebec; Age: 22 years; Occupation: Musician; Religion: Wesleyan; Next of Kin: Mother – Mrs. Rouse, 8, Beaconsfield Road, Ipswich. Height: 5ft 6ins, dark complexion, brown eyes, dark hair. Tattoo – 2 flags & wreath, ‘Lucy’ ‘Annie’ on right forearm.

Service:

Unit sailed 3^rd October 1914.

Returned to Unit at Tidworth Traininmg Depot after 42 days detention for Desertion – 7^th January 1915.

Admitted to Hospital – No.1 Canadian Field Ambulance – Bustard – 14^th January 1915 – 14^th January 1915 – Orchitis,

Admitted to Hospital – No. 1 General Hospital – Bustard – 15^th January 1915 – 31st January 1915  – Very Sore and Abcess.

Discharged to duty.

Transferred to 9^th Battalion – Tidworth – 2^nd February 1915

To Massed Band – Shorncliffe – 4^th April 1915

On nominal Roll as Bandsman – 21^st February 1916

Permission granted to marry – Shorncliffe – 24^th May 1916.

Massed Band practice – Shorncliffe – 23^rd June 1916.

Transferred to 202^nd Battalion from the 9^th Reserve Battalion – Bramsholt – 25^th February 1917

Thomas write his Will in favour of his mother, Mrs. S. Rouse, of 8, Beaconsfield Road, Ipswich – 3^rd May 1917.

Transferred to 9^th Battalion from the 202^nd Battalion – Witley – 28^th May 1917

Proceeded overseas for service – 49^th Battalion – Bramsholt – 20^th June 1917

Landed in France – 21^st June 1917

Left for the 49^th Battalion – 26^th June 1917

Arrived 49^th Battalion – 3^rd July 1917.

Offences:

Absentee – 8 days – 22^nd October 1914 – 31^st October 1914 – detention 48 hours.

Struck off as a Deserter – Bustard – 3^rd December 1914.

Returned to Unit – Bustard – 7^th January 1915 – Tried by Regiment Court martial as a Deserter  – 42 days detention.

Absent Without leave– Shorncliffe – October 1915 – awarded 3 days Field Punishment No. 2 and forfeits 6 days pay.

Absent Without Leave – 1 day – 7^th March 1916 – East Sandling – awarded 1 day Field Punishment No. 2 and forfeits 2 days pay.

Absent Without Leave – 9^th June 1916 – Shorncliffe – awarded 5 days Field Punishment No. 2 with detained pay and forfeits 1 days.

Rank: Private; Service Number: 10617

Regiment: Canadian Infantry, Alberta Regiment, 49th Battalion.

Grave Reference:

I.H.13.

Oxford Road Cemetery,

West-Vlaanderen,

Belgium.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Sarah Ann Rouse, of 8, Beaconsfield Road, Ipswich & the late J. Rouse.

CENSUS

1891   2, Gibbon’s Street, Ipswich.

Thomas was 2 years old and living with his parents & siblings.

James Rouse, 45, a Carman – Parcel’s Delivery, born Trimley, Suffolk.

Sarah Ann Rouse, 45, a Laundress, born Rickinghall, Suffolk.

Amy Eliza Rouse, 18, a Staymaker – Dress, born Malta – British Subject.

William John Rouse, 13, a Tobacconist, born Natal, South Africa.

Ernest Rouse, 10, a Devonport, Devonshire.

Charles Percy Rouse, 8, born Taunton, Somerset.

1901   Duke of York’s Royal Military Asylum, Cheltenham Terrace, Chelsea, London.

Thomas was 12 years old, a School Boy boarding at the school for children of soldier’s.

1911   H.M. Prison, Grimwade Street, Ipswich.

Thomas was 22 years old, a Prisoner. Occupation – Hotel Porter.

COURT APPEARANCES and CONVICTIONS

Thomas, a Musician, was described as 5ft 4 1/2ins in height, fresh complexion, brown hair and hazel eyes. He was tattooed  with two flags, flowers, and ‘LUCY’ and ‘ANNIE’ his right forearm.

On the 26^th June 1907, Thomas appeared before the Petty Sessions, at Crown Hill, Devonshire. He was charged with I. Stealing a Saving’ Bank book and II. Obtaining £1 by false pretences. Thomas was found Guilty and convicted for 1 month Hard Labour for the first offence and 1 month Hard Labour for the second to run consecutive.

On the 4^th November 1909, Thomas appeared at the Ipswich Borough Petty Sessions, before Mr. W.O. White, Esq., charged with stealing a bicycle. Thomas was found Guilty and convicted for 1 month Second Division.

East Anglian Daily Times – 5th November 1909

TEMPTED TO STEAL

Thomas Dudley Rouse, Labourer, of Norwich Road, was charged with stealing , as bailee, a bicycle, value £3.- Mr. E.F. Hubbard, manager to Messrs. T. Nice and Co., Hyde Park Corner, said that on October 9th the accused entered the shop and said he wanted to hire a bicycle for two days. Prosecutor let him have a machine, but as he did not return it, prosecutor gave information to the police. He identified the machine on Monday morning at the Police Station. On the previous Saturday he saw the accused in company with Detective-Inspector Warner and Detective James. Questioned in regard to the bicycle, the accused said he had sold it.- William Roberts, bricklayer, 77, Woodbridge Road, deposed that the defendant asked him if he cared to but it. Witness subsequently agreed to give him 15s. for it, the defendant having previously said that the bicycle was his own. Subsequently witness had to hand to the police.- The accused pleaded guilty. He handed in a written statement to the Bench to the effect that he had been out of work for a long time, and he was tempted to steal because he was penniless. He had tried to get work, and had endeavoured to go to Canada, but had been unable to do so. He wished the Bench to deal leniently with him, as he promised to lead a straight forward life in the future.- The Chairman said the Bench had no alternative but to send him to prison. He would be sentenced to one month in the second division. The Magistrates thought that the witness Roberts ought to have used more discretion when he purchased the machine for 15s. Consequently, they refused to allow his expenses.

On the 17^th September 1910, Thomas was charged, and held on remand until his appearance at the Ipswich Borough Petty Sessions, on the 19^th September 1910, before Mr. W.O. White, Esq., charged with Feloniously stealing a bicycle, the goods of Henry George Moss, at Ipswich, on the 13^th September 1910.

Thomas was committed for trail.

On the 22^nd October 1910, Thomas appeared before Sir Frederick Low, K.C., M.P., Recorder. He was found Guilty and convicted for 3 months Hard Labour. Date of Liberation – 7^th January 1911.

On the 10^th March 1911, Thomas, was charged, and held on remand until his appearance at the Ipswich Borough Petty Sessions, on the 16^th March 1911, where before Mr. W. Alexander Esq. Thomas was charged with I. Obtaining by false pretences, from Marguerite Jefferies, 10 shillings, with intent to defraud, at Ipswich, on the 9^th March 1911. And II. Obtaining 5/- from Florence Bristow and Ellen Jane Bantoft, by false pretenses, on the 9^th March 1911.

Thomas was committed for trail.

On the 8^th April 1911, Thomas appeared before Sir Frederick Low, K.C., M.P., Recorder. He was found Guilty and bound over in sum of £5 to come up for judgement if called upon.

IMMIGRATION

On the 18th May 1911, 23 year old Thomas disembarked at the Port of Quebec, Canada. He had sailled on the S.S. ‘Pretorian’ of the Allan Line, and had departed from the Port of London. Thomas recorded his religion as Wesleyan – occupation as Hotel Porter and that he intended to live in Toronto to find employment in farming.

Memorial Scroll Dispatched 30th April 1921 and Memorial Plague Despatched 17th January 1922 to Thomas’s mother, Mrs. Sarah Ann Rouse, of 8, Beaconsfield Road, Ipswich.