Royal Army Medical Corps
Walter Percy Rose was born in King’s Stanley in 1884, a second son to John and Mary/Marie Rose.
According to the 1881 census John was employed as a Wool-Sorter in one of the local mills, and the family address was New Street, King’s Stanley.
The 1891 Census records there were now four children but sadly the father, John had died earlier that year and the family address was given as Shoot Lane, King’s Stanley.
The 1901 Census has the family living at Castle Street, King’s Stanley, and Walter was employed as a Cloth Cutter.
The 1911 Census records Walter working as a Brush Cloth Factory Worker and the family had moved to the High Street, King’s Stanley but sadly the family lost their mother later that year.
The National School Register records that on 17 January 1896 a P [Percy?] Rose received a prize for being the most obedient boy in the school.
Walter enlisted in the Army on 29 August 1916 and was posted to the Army Reserves on 19 October 1916.
Walter was then posted to the Royal Army Medical Corps and was stationed in the Lancashire area and during spring 1917 he was billeted at 47 Bank Street, Blackpool.
Unfortunately, it was here that Walter had an accident that led to his death and his death certificate records that Walter died from injuries following a fall from his bedroom window, on the 20th of May 1917. He was aged 33.
The Liverpool Echo of 24 May 1917 reported:
“A Blackpool jury inquired into the death of Private Walter Percy Rose, RAMC, who fell from the
window of a bedroom at the house where he was billeted a few days ago. It was stated that he was suffering from neuralgia and, feeling faint, lent out of the bedroom window. He overbalanced and fell onto the concrete floor below, a distance of about 25 feet.
A verdict of ‘Accidental Death’ was returned.”
Walter would have been entitled to two campaign medals; the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
He is buried in King’s Stanley Baptist Chapelyard near the west end, where he has a standard CWGC headstone placed on a family grave.
He is commemorated on the King’s Stanley village War Memorial.
A recently released Pension Record Card indicates that the gratuity due to Private Rose was given to his sister, Miss Florence Daisy Rose, who lived at High Street, King’s Stanley.
Research by Dave Earle March 2021