I am trying to find out as much as possible about my wife's grandfather Edward Rouse.
Born in Walthamstow, the family moved to Worcester between 1901 and 1911. From his medal roll index card it indicates he went to France 1/4/1915, so can deduce he was in either 1/7th or 1/8th Battalion. I know he was injured at some stage, by bayonet (or possibly by shrapnel), but he did survive the war, and is on the absent voters roll 1918-19. By the end of the war he was apparently part of a machine gun team. It had been thought he had moved to the MGC, but all indications are that he was still with the Worcesters. I also know that at some stage he was at Ypres, and at sometime away from the battlefront met with his brother, Albert W Rouse, who was serving in 241 Battery RFA, part of the 48th South Midland Division. Unfortunately during that meeting, the conversation touched on the subject of sweethearts and when each produced a picture of the same girl, the fallout was that they never ever spoke to each other ever again. Edward did however go on to marry her!
My biggest problem regarding Edward, however is a picture of him in uniform, with Sergeants stripes. It is taken of him alone in front of some tents. His medal card only indicates him reaching the rank of corporal, but I know he did reach the rank of acting sergeant. However the conundrum is more to do with the inscription on the reverse, in his handwriting, which clearly reads " me in Dublin 1916". Edward always talked about Ireland being a beautiful place, and somewhere he would like to go back to, so we know he was there at some stage. We also know that when he was there, he was demoted for a prisoner escaping from under his charge. So how did Edward end up in Dublin when the the Regiment was not involve in Dublin in 1916. Might he have been back home, convalescing, only to find himself sent to Ireland instead of going back to France? But why then, if he was with another regiment, would he end up back in the Worcesters?
Has anyone any suggestions.