John George Roe

He was attached to 2/8th Bn Sherwood Foreters. The commanding officer of his battalion was quoted as saying in a letter to his parents:“The deployment under fire was carried on without a hitch. This was largely due to the way his dangerous duty was done. Had he lived he would have been recommended for an honour. I feel his loss very deeply and I beg that you will accept our deepest sympathy and at the same time our congratulations on having such a gallant son.”In The History of the battalion during the Great War it states that the 2/8th took part in an attack on St Julien (sometimes the engagement is called after Zonnebeke) on the morning of 26th September to the night of 28th September. The 59th Division was ordered to attack near the River Hannebeek. The 2/8th battalion’s Intelligence Officer was Lieutenant J G Roe and he was killed during this action. All 14 officers of the battalion became casualties.Research Simon Williams

Following is an extract from the Nottingham Evening Post dated 10th October 1917 : - “SECOND-LIEUT. J. G. ROE.“Second-Lieut. J. G. Roe, Sherwood Foresters, killed in action on September 26th, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Roe, 4, Harley-street, Lenton, and grandson of the late William Mart, South Normanton, and John Roe, Alfreton. He was 21 years old, and was educated at Lenton Trust School and Nottingham High School, and was a general favourite. The commanding officer of his battalion says: “The deployment under fire was carried out without a hitch. This was largely due to the way his dangerous duty was done. Had lived he would have been recommended for an honour. I feel his loss very deeply, and I beg that you will accept our deepest sympathy, and at the same time our congratulations on having such a gallant son.” The above extract is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War 1914-1918