William Richard Rose

Corporal

Conflict:

WW1

Additional Information:

Son of Norah Rose, of Bluff, Invercargill, and the late C. Rose.

References:

CWGC

Archives New Zealand

NZ WAR GRAVES

CONTRIBUTED

Photo of Bill Rose (standing) with his friend (and future brother-in-law) Jack Coughlin

A photo of Bill from a newspaper announcing his death

Photo of the NZ Army rugby team, 28 October 1916. Bill is in the back row on the left.

Photo of Bill's name (marked with the poppy) on the NZ Memorial to the Missing at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium

Southland Provincial Memorial for WWI includes Bill (W.R.) Rose's name

Bluff War Memorial for WWI includes Bill (W.) Rose's name

The framed Roll of Honour to members of the Bluff Marine Band. Bill's photo features just below the centre.

A close up of Bill's photo in the framed Roll of Honour to members of the Bluff Marine Band.

The grave of Bill's parents and his two older brothers in Bluff Cemetery. Bill is named on the headstone.

A closeup photo of Bill's name on his family's grave in Bluff Cemetery.

Bill's memorial cross in central Dunedin at the time of the centenary of the Armistice, November 2018.

Obituary for William Rose from the 'Southland Times', 5 November 1917.

Public Contributions:

Submitted by: Edmund le Grelle

Relationship to casualty: Great Grand Nephew (Great Grandson of William's Brother)

Biography of William Rose William Richard Rose was born on 12 November 1890 at Campbelltown, as Bluff was then known. George was his third Christian name listed at his baptism, on 17 February 1891. ... Fr M Walsh was the priest who baptised William. Nellie Leonard was listed as his Godmother. His parents were Charles Rose and Norah Bardon, immigrants from Montreal, Canada and Tralee, Ireland, respectively. Bill was the youngest of seven children. His father Charles worked as a labourer in Bluff. The family shifted to Bann Street in 1892. (This property, at what is now 140 Bann Street, was owned by the family until 1945). Bill attended Bluff School, as the Catholic School didn’t open until later. In his final year at Bluff School, in 1903, he was Dux. (The school honours’ board is currently stored at the Bluff RSA). Bill then attended Southland Boys’ High School in Invercargill for one year (1904). Bill and his older brother Robert (Bob) were members of the Bluff Naval Band. They are both shown in a 1906 band photograph, where Bill appears to be the youngest member. (Bill played the trombone, while Bob played the tuba). Of the thirteen contests they entered that year, the band got six firsts, five seconds and two thirds. Bill and Bob feature in another photo at the Bluff wharf with other members of the band when the survivors of the wrecked ship ‘Dundonald’ returned from Auckland Island on 30 November 1907. Bill was also a member of the Awarua Boating Club. On the 1911 Awarua (Supplementary) Electoral Roll, Bill is recorded as living in Gore St, Bluff, and working as a labourer. That same year, his brother Bob was married in Bluff, and Bill is shown in the family wedding photo. In July 1911, Bill was awarded the Gold Medal donated by the President of the Southland Boxing Association, Dr A F Crawford, for the “most scientific display at the recent Southland championship tournament”. He was selected as one of two welterweight boxing representatives for Southland to compete at the annual NZ Amateur Tournament that year. Bill’s next whereabouts are in Gisborne, where in May 1913, the ‘Poverty Bay Herald’ mentions him – using the name: ‘W Poesy’ – in a rugby league team. ‘W Poesy’ (sometimes spelt ‘Posey’) is mentioned many times in the ‘Poverty Bay Herald’ during 1913 and 1914 for playing rugby league (as a forward) for Gisborne and Poverty Bay. In June 1913, the ‘Poverty Bay Herald’ first reports him in a boxing match, where “W. Poesy” won the middleweight division at the Gisborne Boxing Association’s championships. Why Bill shifted to Gisborne, and why he used a different surname is unknown. Maybe he wanted to pursue boxing, but this sport apparently wasn’t approved by his mother. Numerous other references to “W. Poesy” are mentioned in the ‘Poverty Bay Herald’, ‘NZ Truth’ and ‘Evening Post’ in the next few years regarding boxing. In a report in the ‘NZ Truth’ on 12 December 1915, it stated that Bill “will meet any welter in the Dominion. Twenty five contests to date and only five defeats, is Poesy’s record” Bill’s second professional fight is mentioned many times in the newspapers. This fight occurred on 11 February 1915 at the Gisborne Opera House, where he fought Syd Mitchell for the NZ welter weight title. The purse was £67 10s. Unfortunately, Bill had the decision go against him. However, the fight wouldn’t have counted as he slightly exceeded the welter-weight bounds. During his time in Gisborne, Bill was employed at the freezing works. His last mention in a Gisborne newspaper occurred in late May 1915, after which it is assumed Bill left Gisborne and returned home to Bluff – and enlistment. Bill’s military file says that he had served in the Territorial Force in the 8th (Southland) Regiment until he left the district (to go to Gisborne). Bill passed his medical examination in Invercargill on 24 December 1915 and was enlisted as a Private on 12 January 1916 at Trentham, joining H Company of the 12th Reinforcements. He described himself as a self-employed labourer. An interesting note in his medical file was that the second and third toes on both of his feet were webbed. 13097 was Bill’s army number. Bill’s future brother in law, John (Jack) Coughlin (#12979) enlisted with Bill in the 12th Reinforcements and the Rifle Brigade. There is a photo of them together in army uniform. After the war, Jack married Bill’s sister, Frances (Goog). In the ‘NZ Truth’ of 22 January 1916 it states: “Another New Zealand boxer who has heard his King and Country call him is Bill Poesy, from Gisborne. Billy is now in camp and hurls defiance at any middleweight ‘Tommy’ now in training. Billy particularly specifies Billy Senior or Jack Nicholas. Somebody should get busy over this.” Bill sailed with the 12th Reinforcements of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force from Wellington on 6 May 1916 on the ‘Navua’ (Transport 53), arriving at Suez on 22 June. The troops left Alexandria, Egypt on 26 July and disembarked at Southampton on 7 August 1916. Further training took place at Sling Camp in England, where for a time, Bill was appointed to the staff of the regimental canteen. During this time based at Sling Camp, Bill played for a New Zealand team in a rugby game against Plymouth on 28 October 1916. (Won 11-6). Although this team could best be described as the New Zealand Reserve Group team, most reports of their matches called them the ‘All Blacks’. The team wore black jerseys, shorts and socks with white bands, and had a few All Blacks in the team, but mostly consisted of soldiers who had played provincial rugby in NZ. (‘War Blacks’, by Matt Elliott, p 167). A picture of this team is featured in the Chronicles of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, (20 November 1916, p. 153), with Bill incorrectly named as O F Rose. (Incidentally, a total of five soldiers named ‘William Rose’ in the NZEF died during World War One). Although not verified, Bill’s nephew Peter McGorlick, stated there was a photo in the Bluff RSA of Bill in this NZ Army Rugby team. (However, there is a photo of Bill in the Bluff RSA which is a Roll of Honour for members of the Bluff Marine Band who died in World War One). Bill may have played more games for this army rugby team during November if not for being posted to France on 16 November 1916. He was placed in D Company of the 3rd Battalion of the 3rd (Rifle) Brigade, with the rank of Rifleman (or Private). On 3 February 1917, Bill transferred to a Lewis Gun Section. He was appointed Temporary Corporal on 8 June 1917 (during the Battle of Messines). Bill’s army file states that he attended the NZ Division’s Sports between 6 and 9 July 1917 where he participated in the middleweight boxing competition. Bill won his first two matches but was defeated in the semi-final by the eventual winner of the competition. On 7 July, during the Divisional Sports, Bill was promoted to Corporal. Bill was on leave in the UK between 23 September and 6 October 1917. Throughout his time in the army, Bill didn’t get sick, injured or wounded. However, six days after returning from leave, Bill was killed in action on 12 October 1917 in the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium. This was entered on Bill’s military file on 21 October 1917. A cable was sent (to NZ) on 29 October 1917. Over 3000 casualties (including over 800 dead) occurred in the NZ Division on the morning of 12 October. This makes Passchendaele the single bloodiest day in NZ military history. In fact, more New Zealanders were killed or maimed in just a few short hours than has occurred on any other day in NZ history. The attack on 12 October took place in very wet and muddy conditions, with poor artillery support, and should not have gone ahead. ‘The Official History of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade’ states “that the attack of October 12th must be considered a failure”. In the ‘NZ Truth’ of 17 November 1917, a brief obituary for Bill was published: “Another brave boxing lad to make the supreme sacrifice for King and country is Corporal W. R. Rose, who was killed in action in France [sic] on October 12. Corporal Rose was 22 years [sic] of age and was born at Bluff, Southland. Few, perhaps, will recognise in Corporal W. R. Rose, the clever boxer of Gisborne, who made a name for himself, as W. Poesy. He was a clever boxer, particularly in amateur ranks. In his one professional go, he went under to that out-and-outer, Sid Mitchell. Another brave boy gone. What a roll of honor the boxers of New Zealand have compiled”. (Actually, Bill died in Belgium aged 26. And, he had two professional fights: the first being against George Richardson in July 1914). Tyne Cot Cemetery at Zonnebeke, near Ypres in Belgium, has almost 12,000 Commonwealth soldiers buried in it. 8,000 of these are unidentified. Tyne Cot is now the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world in terms of burials. Within the cemetery is the Tyne Cot Memorial, which commemorates 35,000 soldiers who died in fighting around Passchendaele and Ypres after August 1917, and whose graves are not known. 1179 unidentified New Zealand servicemen are commemorated on the New Zealand Memorial Apse in the centre of this memorial. W R Rose is one of them and is named on Panel 7. Information about Bill is found on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/848130/rose,-william-richard/ His age is incorrectly stated as being 27. No letters written by Bill while he was in the army have survived. (But there is a postcard to him from his older brother Bob written in about 1910). Several photographs of Bill exist. After the war, Bill’s medals, memorial scroll and plaque were sent to his mother, but the whereabouts of these are unknown today. Peter McGorlick says that Bill’s only remaining memento was a boxing medal. Located in the Bluff RSA is a large piece of cloth which is embroidered with the names of Bluff residents supporting the war effort. (Mostly they are mothers of soldiers). ‘Nora Rose’, Bill’s mother, is included on this. On 3 October 1919, Bill’s mother Norah signed a Declaration for Pay due to a Deceased Soldier. Around this time, all six of Bill’s siblings also signed a form consenting to the payment of any moneys due to the estate by the Defence Department to go to their mother. Bill Rose is commemorated on three war memorials: at Bluff, on the Southland Provincial War Memorial in Invercargill, and at Southland Boys’ High School. He is also named on his parents’ gravestone in Bluff’s Old Cemetery, (where his age is incorrectly stated as 28 years old). For the centenary of the Armistice, a wooden cross with the name of each soldier who died in the First World War was installed for about a month in one of the four main cities of New Zealand. A cross for Bill was one of those erected in Dunedin in November 2018. [Record has since been amended - NZWGT] Compiled in February 2020 by Edmund le Grelle, (great-nephew of William Rose – great grandson of William’s brother, Robert). [email protected] Read More

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Casualty

Service Number:

13097

Name:

William Richard Rose

Rank:

Corporal

Date of Birth:

Not known

Next of Kin:

Mrs N. Rose (mother), Bann Street, Bluff, New Zealand

Date of Enlistment:

Not known

Occupation on Enlistment:

Labourer

Armed Force:

Army

Unit:

3 New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade, 3 Battalion, D Company

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Date of Death:

12 October 1917

Day of Death:

Friday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW1

Embarkation Details

Embarkation Body:

New Zealand Rifle Brigade

Embarkation Place:

Wellington, New Zealand

Embarkment Date:

06 May 1916

Transport:

HMNZT 52
HMNZT 53

Vessel:

Mokoia or Navua

Destination:

Suez, Egypt

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Tyne Cot Memorial

Cemetery Reference:

N.Z. Apse, Panel 7.

Cemetery Location:

Belgium