BORN – Rochdale
HOMEFRONT – Place Swan Crescent & Llwyn Road / Occupation
JOB – Roofer / Slater
UNIT – 6 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
RANK – Acting Lance Sergeant 12280
THEATRE – Died at Home.
DIED – Died 29 December 1918. Aged 28
BURIED – Oswestry General Cemetery. (CWGC)
Alfred Edward Roberts was born in Rochdale 1890. His parents were David and Sarah Roberts. His father worked as a roofer / slater. Alfred was the second eldest of 7 children – Alice, Alfred, David, Richard, Sydney, May and Gwen. He spent his early life in Rochdale but by 1901 the family had moved to Oswestry, his father’s home town. They lived first at 6 Swan Crescent and later moved to 49 Llwyn Road, Oswestry. Arthur, along with his father and brother David, worked as roofers / slaters. In January 1912 David was killed in an accident when he fell off a roof.
Arthur enlisted in September 1914, joining 6 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, Oswestry Pals. He went over to France with the battalion in July 1915. He survived the fighting but had been wounded, spending time in hospital in France suffering from septic poisoning. In December 1918 he was taken ill and evacuated to England and admitted to the War Hospital at Carlisle (and BBC feature and LINK). He died on 29 December 1918 of pneumonia / influenza, possibly exacerbated as a result of gas. He was buried in Oswestry Cemetery on New Years Day 1919. Buried with him are brother David and his mother and father who died in 1938 and 1939.
Acknowledgements.
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