13th (Home Service) Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
Walter James Roff was born in the summer of 1870 at Cheltenham and was the son of Robert and Sarah Roff.
After becoming a groom, on 5 January 1893 he enlisted into the 21st (Empress of India’s) Lancers at Long Eaton, serving as Trooper 3560. He took part in the campaign in the Sudan in 1898, including the defeat and disposal of the Mahdist Forces at Khartoum. He was awarded the Sudan Medal 1898 with Khartoum Clasp.
He also took part in the famous ‘Death or Glory’ charge made by the Lancers on 2 September of that year against 700 Hadendowa tribesmen, in which 20 chargers were killed and fifty wounded.
Three Victoria Crosses were awarded in this action. He was discharged from the Army on 3 July 1899, it would appear due to some form of misconduct.
In the spring of 1900 he married Emily at Cheltenham and at the time of the 1911 Census they lived at 24 Portland Square, Cheltenham and Walter worked as a cabman. He was over age for enlistment or any recall to the Army when war came in 1914. However, he did volunteer for service and according to his Silver War Badge record this was from 18 April 1918.
He was accepted for home service and posted to the 13th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert’s Own).
He received his Silver War Badge upon discharge on 30 October 1918. This was probably due to sickness as he later died of tuberculosis on 6 January 1920, in Cheltenham, age 50.
Unusually, for someone who did not serve overseas in the Great War, he had a Medal Index Card, which records the fact that he served with the Somerset Light Infantry and also that his widow applied for the medal due to him on 29 November 1927. At which date she resided at 4 Belmont Terrace, Portland Square, Cheltenham.
Walter Roff has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone over his grave in Cheltenham Cemetery and is commemorated on the Cheltenham Borough War Memorial.
Research by Graham Adams 5 February 2013