Parkwood area
Private, 1/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment). Service No: 2964.
Early life:
Alfred was born in Biggleswade in 1895, his parents were Harry and Lucy Rose Rooke.
By the time of the 1901 census he was six years of age and the family was living at 11, Barrett Street in Keighley. Alfred had four sisters, Eliza (16), Beatrice (14) Kate (9) and Gertie (2). He also had brothers Fred (120 and Harry (3).
Their father Harry was employed as a general labourer.
By the 1911 census the family had moved to 4 Brow St, off Parkwood Road in Keighley and Alfred was by now sixteen years old and employed as a bobbin weighter in worsted spinning and twisting.
Father Harry was employed as a spring bender in a machine shop manufacturing laundry equipment. The rest of the family were employed in textiles.
War service:
Alfred was an early enlistment, joining up shortly after the outbreak of war. His name is listed in Keighley’s Gallant Sons – a list of early volunteers printed in the local newspaper in 1915: Rooke, Alf. Wm. 88, Parkwood Street.
He was resident at the family home in 88, Parkwood Street when he attested with 2/6th battalion West Riding Regiment in Keighley on 30th September 1914, when he was nineteen years and five months old. After a period of training in the UK, he was transferred to the 1/6th battalion West Riding Regiment on 23rd April and entered France on 29th June with them. He seems to have served with the 3rd Entrenching Battalion until the 2nd of October, when he was transferred to the front line battalion.
1/6th Battalion, West Riding Regiment War diary:
2nd October. Draft. 30 NCO’s and men arrived POPERINGHE 7 pm. from 3rd Entrenching Battalion. (Alfred was very likely to have been one of these men.)
Alfred served with them for less than three weeks, when he was tragically killed in action on 19th October aged twenty. On the day he was killed the Germans were bombarding the front line and support line trenches, destroying the parapet in three places. Alfred died at 5:15 pm when a shell scored a direct hit on his position.
Also killed in the same explosion was No. 208, Private John Lomas, who was from Oxenhope and is named on the Great war memorial at the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin.
1/6th Battalion West Riding Regiment war diary:
19th October. TRENCHES.
Fine cold NE wind. Artillery on both sides active, parapet F.31. blown in one place also F.32. one place, BARNSLEY ROAD three places, WYATT LANE three places, also new trench joining F.32. and F.33a. blown in. Enemy fired during afternoon about 60 rounds heavy shells, retaliation was called for 2.15 pm.
Casualties (killed):
5.15 pm. No. 208 Cpl. J. Lomas, B Coy. Killed HE Shell, in front trench.
5.15 pm. No. 2964 Pte. A. W. Rooke, B Coy. Killed HE Shell, in front trench.
3. pm. No. 2064 L/Cpl P. Morgan, D Coy. Killed by shell, in support trench.
3. pm. No. 2020 Pte. F. Goodwin, D Coy. Died of wounds shortly after being hit by shell in support trench.
Casualties (wounded):
There were nine casualties on this day, mostly shell wounds or rifle bullets, with one man suffering from shock after being buried under a parapet collapse due to a shell hit.
Alfred was buried in TALANA FARM CEMETERY, Plot IV. Row C. Grave 12.
Keighley News report dated 30th October 1915 page 5:
KEIGHLEY LOSSES IN THE WAR – A TERRITORIAL KILLED
Mrs Rooke, of 88, Parkwood Street, Keighley, has received information that her son, Private Alfred William Rooke, of the 6th West Riding Regiment (Territorials) has been killed “somewhere on the western front.” In a letter, written on October 19 to Mrs Rooke, Second Lieutenant D. F. Peacock says:
“This is a most painful letter I have to write to you.
I am very sorry to tell you of the death of your son this afternoon, He was killed by a German shell, death being instantaneous. Will you please accept my sincerest sympathy in your great sorrow, and I hope some comfort will be granted to you in the knowledge that he gave his life for his country.”
Private Rooke was 20 years of age, and enlisted in the Territorials after the outbreak of the war and went to France on July 1. Before enlistment Rooke was an apprentice with Messrs. G, Wilkinson and Son, machine tool makers, Keighley.
Twelve months ago he was a playing member of the Parkwood Rovers Football Club. His brother is a private in the Army Ordnance Corps, now stationed at Woolwich.
Post war:
His father Harry Rooke was his next of kin. He received Alfred’s personal effects which were: Belt; Testament Book; Pocket Book; Cigarette Case; Holdall; Housewife; Pocket Knife; Letters; Pencil; Photos; Spoon and fork; Cap (?); Writing Pad; (?) Ring. These were signed for on 11th February 1916. He also received a memorial scroll, signed for on 9th November 1920 and later, a bronze War Memorial plaque.
His mother Rose Rooke received a dependant’s pension of 4 shillings and six pence per week from 6th November 1918 for 295 weeks (approximately 5 years and 8 months) until this was increased to 5 shillings per week.
Alfred was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his war service and these were received and signed for by his father Harry. The British War Medal arrived on 14th February 1921 and the Victory Medal was received on 19th March 1921; the 1914/15 Star arrived on 29th August 1921. The Memorial Scroll was received on 9th November 1920 and the Bronze war memorial plaque not long after that.
His father also completed the relatives form (Army Form W.5080) on 7th May 1919 which gives us an indication of the disposition of the family members at that time:
Deceased soldier’s family details:
Father – Harry Rooke – 88, Parkwood Street, Keighley.
Mother – Rose Rooke – 88, Parkwood Street.
Brother – Fred Rooke – aged 30. – 35, Parkwood Street.
Brother – Private Harry Rooke – Aged 21. – 2nd South Staffordshire Regt – British Expeditionary Force – France.
Brother – Richard Rooke – aged 17. – 88, Parkwood Street.
Sister – Eunice (?) Smith – aged 34 – 4, Waterfall Road, (?) Sheffield.
Sister – Beatrice (Roe Mary Rooke) Potter – aged 32. – 88, Parkwood Street.
Sister – Katie (Kate Elizabeth) Grainger – Aged 27. – 1, Bengal Street, Keighley.
Sister – (Gertie?) Rooke aged 20. – 88, Parkwood Street.
Sister – (Minnie?) Rooke. aged 14. – 88 Parkwood Street.
Apart from his war grave overseas, Alfred is also remembered in the Borough of Keighley’s 1914 – 1918 Roll of Honour book in Keighley Library. On the Sun Street Methodist Church War Memorial and on the Keighley Sunday Circle Roll of Honour is the name ‘A. Rooke’ which we believe refers to Alfred. Both of these memorials are held in the care of Cliffe Castle Museum, Keighley, although they are not on permanent public display.
Alfred’s older brother Frederick Rooke was wounded in the war and had to have a leg amputated, but he survived the war. Alfred’s younger brother Harry Rooke served with the 2nd South Staffordshire Regiment and also survived the war.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
1901 England Census.
1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census.
British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.
British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
National Archives – WO-95/2801/1 – 1/6th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment war diary.
Cliffe Castle Museum.
