Thanks Mack. yes that is him. I doubt if he ever lived in Southend. His wife Frances moved to Southend-on-Sea sometime after my grandmother was born in 1903. My grandmother only saw her "father" once in her childhood. She remembers him coming home covered in lice. She told me that he died of his wounds.
Her actual father was James Rowden, who Frances was living with in London in 1901. I presume she thought George Roberts was missing presumed dead when he was taken prisoner and found herself another man. My grandmother knew all of her "father" Roberts campaigns and travels as instructed by her mother. It was only when my grandmother died that we discovered that she was not a Roberts at all and she had kept her true origin secret from her children. I have spent 7 years or so trying to unravel the mystery of her parentage.
Peter Donnelly of the Kings Own Museum told me some years ago that George probably re-enlisted or was a reservist when WW1 started, hence the different reg numbers. Where he went in between times is a mystery cos he certainly did not go home to his wife, even though he seemed to know where she was living.
Thanks for your help. I had the War Graves info from the website but wanted to find the earlier campaign stuff if possible.
Cheers
Kitty
is this george.
pte george roberts
1st batt,KORL.
B coy
age 47
18396
died of wounds 26-12-1916
landed in france 6-7-1915
medals, 1914-15 star,war medal and victory medal
later promoted to acting sergeant
husband of frances,jane roberts,73 beaufort st,southchurch,southend on sea
buried in st.sever cemetary extension,rouen
grave ref, O.IV.A.7
hes not listed on southends roll of honour,his wife may have moved there after his death.
mack
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