Pte 49177 Frank Roome

• Age: 31
• From: St Michaels Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Frank Roome was born in 1886 in St. Michael's, Cheshire and resided in Macclesfield and was the son of Joseph and Ellen Roome (nee Wall), of 4 Market St, Whaley Bridge, Cheshire. He was educated at Kings School, Macclesfield.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 36, Stanley Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire.

The father Joseph aged 37, a fish dealer born in Birmingham. His wife Ellen is aged 39, born Shepton Mallet, Somerset. They have four children living with them, Albert aged 9, Joseph aged 7, Frank aged 5, and Frederick aged 2. Their children were all born in Macclesfield. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 36, Stanley Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire.

The father Joseph aged 47, born 1854 occupation, fish dealer who was born in Northampton. His wife Ellen is aged 40, born 1861 in Somerset. They have seven children living with them, Joseph aged 17,  born 1884 is a cotton weaver, Frank aged 16, born 1886, Frederick aged 12, born 1889, Lucy aged 9, born 1892 and Arthur aged 7, born 1894 are both at school, Harry aged 4, born 1897 and Walter aged 2, born 1899. Their children were all born in Macclesfield. They also have Ellen’s mother Eliza Wall a widow aged 69, born 1832 in Somerset living at the address.   

The 1911 Census shows the family still living at 36 and 38 Stanley Street Macclesfield, Cheshire.

The father Joseph now aged 53 is employed as a fish dealer and his wife Ellen aged 49 is assisting in the business. They have been married for twenty nine years and have had eleven children of which one had died.  Joseph aged 27 is a fish hawker, Frank aged 25 and Frederick aged 22,are both cotton weavers, Lucy aged 19, is a silk hand, Arthur aged 17,is a cotton weaver, Harry aged 14 and Walter aged 11 are both silk hands, Nelly aged 9, born 1902 and Harold aged 6, born 1905 are both at school.. They also have Ellen’s mother Eliza Wall a widow still living with them.  

He enlisted in Macclesfield and was formerly 4486, Cheshire Regiment and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 49177 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 31 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

17^th Battalion

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17^th Battalion on the left, and the 20^th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21^st and 90^th Brigades were still pinned down  and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.  

During the action and their time in the line the 17^th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3^rd -4^th August.      

A report from the Macclesfield Times dated 24^th August 1917:

ALWAYS CHEERFUL AND JOLLY - PRIVATE KILLED BY SHELL FIRE

Mr and Mrs J Roome, Stanley St, Macclesfield, have received a letter... presuming the death in action of their son, Pte Frank Roome, King's Liverpool Regt: "... I feel it is right to tell you that he must have been killed in action on July 31st. He was attached to our headquarters with two pigeons, and a shell pitched right into the party he was with. The man in front of him was killed and the three behind him wounded. As we have no news of him getting away, we are bound to presume that he was killed... For the last two months he had been working for the officers of the company. He was always cheerful and jolly..." Private Roome was twenty-nine years of age and a native of Macclesfield. He was educated at Christ Church Day School and attended the Parish Church. He was formerly secretary of the Macclesfield Working Men's Homing Union, and was a well-known footballer, having played for the Lower Heyes team in the local Workshops competition. Before enlistment, just over two years ago, he was employed as a weaver at the Lower Heyes Mill, where he had been since leaving school. Private Roome was drafted out to France last October. Three brothers are serving... Pte Fred Roome, Cheshire Regt, is now in hospital at Birmingham, having been wounded by shrapnel on Aug 10th. He was previously wounded in June 1916. He is 28 years of age and like his deceased brother was employed at the Lower Heyes. Pte Harry Roome, the second brother, is serving with the Cheshires in France, having been out since February 1915. The other brother, Cpl Arthur Roome, Ches Regt, took part in the Suvla Bay fighting in August 1915, and was invalided home with dysentery after being wounded in the hand. He is now on the hospital staff at Oswestry. A brother-in-law, Corporal George Davenport, Ches Regt, was wounded whilst on service in Egypt, and at present is stationed at Heaton Park, Manchester.

Reported killed in the Weekly Casualty List 16th Oct 1917

Previously reported wounded, now reported killed.

King's (Liverpool Regiment) - Roome, 49177, F.(Macclesfield);

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

He is also commemorated on the Macclesfield Town Hall War Memorial, Macclesfield War Memorial, St Michael’s War Memorial and King's School, Macclesfield memorial.

Soldiers Effects to father Joseph, Pension to mother Ellen.

Father Joseph died aged 79 in 1934.

Mother Ellen, dob 25th Feb 1861, appears on the 1939 register with son Harold at 4 Market St, Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire where they are fish, game and poultry dealers. She died aged 80 in 1940.

We currently have no further information on Frank Roome, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.