South Midlands Division, Royal Engineers
Arthur Rouse was born at Walton, Warwickshire in the first half of 1886, the third son of John who was an agricultural worker and Anne Rouse.
At the time of the 1901 Census he was aged 15 and living at 90 Falkener Street, Gloucester, with his married sister Annie and was employed as a van boy with a water company.
On 26 October 1908 he married Edith Helen Domeny at Barnwood Parish Church and the 1911 Census records them living at 1 Moseley Villas, Barnwood.
On 14 December 1913 a son was born to them, named Arthur after his father.
Arthur’s occupation was a carpenter and he attested for Territorial Force military service on 21 August 1915, signing on for four years. In his attestation papers he noted having served for three years with the Gloucestershire Artillery Volunteers. At the time of attestation he was 29 years of age and still lived at 1 Moseley Villas.
He was posted to the South Midland Divisional Royal Engineers, 2/3rd Field Company and served with them until he was discharged on 15 August 1916.
He served in the UK only. He was discharged as ‘being no longer physically fit for war service’ with ‘very good’ character.
His medical problems related to arthritis and a medical board convened on 6 October 1916 recorded that the condition ‘originated at Tipton on 13 November 1915, when he was taken ill with pains in several joints, shoulders and legs. Joints are now less painful and swollen, can walk but with difficulty, improving. Result of exposure on ordinary military service: 12 month duration.’
He was awarded an Army pension and this was re-affirmed by successive medical boards, the last being on 16 October 1917, which recorded ‘total incapacity since January 1917’.
He died at Gloucester on 14 December 1917, aged 31 and notice of his death appeared in the ‘Deaths’ column of the Gloucestershire Journal of 22 December 1917.
According to a recently released Pension Record Card he was suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis and enteritis, contracted on active service.
He was buried in the parish church of St Lawrence at Barnwood, in the ‘new ground’ and a standard CWGC headstone now marks his grave.
Research by Graham Adams 13 February 2015 (revised 6 August 2021)