I am making enquireies into 3 brothers of the Rollings family who all fought in WWI and all attached to the Worcestershire Regiment.
1. (My Grandfather) Walter Hubert Rollings b.1889 Reg No 12585
2. Alfred Horace Rollings (Known as Horace) b. 1893 Reg Nos 12995 21310 and sometimes listed as 10232 for Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. (I have copies of his Service Record)
3. Ralph Reginald Rollings (Known as Reg) b. 1894 Reg No 4586 and KIA 19th July 1916
From the information I have discovered so far, Walter is listed as belonging to 2nd Worcestershire Regiment and I know that he fought in the battle at Gheluvelt. I have not been able to obtain his service records but assume at some point he must have transferred to 7th Worcesterhire Regiment as Walter saw his brother Reg blown to pieces by an exploding shell and we know that REg was in the 1/7th at the time. I also have photos of him at a later date in "C" Company 7th Worcestershire Regiment at Kidderminster HQ with shooting trophies.
I have also discovered that Walter was Groom to the adjutant Captain B. C. Stenhouse-Clarke and that later (approx 1930's) was in charge of the "Cookhouse Crew" as I have a photo of him with his "Crew" taken at camp in Weymouth.
Walter was apparently wounded in action as shown by a vertical stripe on his sleeve in another photo, but where, when, and how, I do not know.
Alfred Horace Rollings (Horace), I have discovered, joined the army on 4th September 1911 and was originally in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps. In the Records it is noted that he served in Egypt from 22 Jan 1913 to 17th October 1914 and qualified during that time on 27th June 1914 for the Camel Corps. It would be interesting to find out what he would have been doing there.
He was transferred to 1st Worcester Regiment on 1st April 1912. He was transferred again to 1/Garr Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on (what looks like) 15th or 18th of April or November 1915.
On 1st June 1916 he was "discharged no longer physically fit for war service" due to the "loss of terminal phalanges of 1st and 2nd fingers of right hand. Capacity fro earning full livelihood lessened by one quarter." I have been told that this has been noted previously as a commonly self-inflicted wound but again I cannot establish whether or not this injury was obtained during action or not and if so where or when. It seems likely that this injury was obtained in action due to the following included in his records. In a letter stamped as being received on 12th August 1918 he writes "I understand by public notice in the papers that I am entitled to a certificate of discharge showing that I was honourably discharged, also a Mons Medal. Would be much obliged if you would kindly forward same to above address and oblige. Ea Pte 21310 AH Rollings. 3rd Res Batt Oxrford and Bucks". Although the letter was obviously written by someone else, he has signed it himelf as "AH Rollings K.C." If he was in receipt of the Kings Cross Medal it would be nice to discover where and under what circumstances he deserved this honour.
Ralph Reginald Rollings (Reg) was killed in action on 19th July 1916. I understand that the 1/7th Worcestershire Regiment was at the time engaged at Ovillers and assume that this would have been where he was killed. By his brother Walter's eyewitness account, Reg was blown to pieces by an enemy shell. I cannot find the record of his death certificate and wondered if any of his remains may have been found and buried. It would also be nice to know if his name appears on any memorial and if so, where would this memorial be located. He is listed in the Worcesterhire Regiment Roll of Honour but this gives very little information.
I try to make sense of the WWI accounts of the various battles but get confused over where the Battalions fit in when "Divisions" and different numbered "Armies" are referred to. Perhaps you can help make this clearer for me.
Any other information you can help me with would be greatly appreciated.
Yours sincerely
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