216063 Gnr. William Henry Rouse British Army 242 Bde, C Battery Royal Field Artillery from:Sheep Street, Birmingham (d.16th Jun 1916) In 1911, William Rouse was 17 years of age and was ‘learning electric motors'. He was at that time living with his parents and two siblings in Sheep Street (the location of which has now made way for the Aston University Campus) His father, William Henry (Senior) was a caretaker at a working men’s residence.
William joined 3rd South Midland Brigade Royal Field Artillery Territorial Unit, in November 1915.
The Brigade's Headquarters were in Stony Lane Sparkbrook, Birmingham, where, at this location a memorial still remains. The Brigade had been mobilised at the outbreak of war and therefore when William joined, or was drafted, he was very soon at the front line in France.
On 13 June 1916 the RFA 242nd Brigade were mobilised at Sailly-au-bois, Hebuterne, France. It was here, on 16th June 1916 that William died as a result of a direct hit from an enemy shell, this was along with the other six members of his gun crew.
They were incredibly unlucky: this was two weeks before the commencement of the main Somme offensive, both sides were firing occasional ranging shots at each other and to suffer a direct hit was truly tragic and highly unusual. Artillery crews were some way behind the front line and direct hits were rare.
It was something of a moonscape, they were very close to the front lines. From information contained within William's diaries it is recorded that at times there were 'more trenches than men to fill them' and that the field guns were unusually exposed.
William is buried in the Military Cemetery at Hebuterne, France along with other members of his gun crew:-
- Sjt Leonard Wilson
- Bdr Edwin Henry Prince
- Gnr TW Holloway
- Gnr Watkin William Henry Hughes
- Gnr George Davis
- Gnr W Rouse
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