ROCHE, John
| Service Number: | 2198 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Gunner |
| Last Unit: | 110th Australian (Howitzer) Battery |
| Born: | Newmarket, County Cork, Ireland, 29 September 1875 |
| Home Town: | Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Seaman |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 1 November 1917, aged 42 years |
| Cemetery: |
Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Belgium Plot IV, Row B, Grave 13, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Sep 1914: | Involvement Gunner, 2198, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Sep 1914: | Embarked Gunner, 2198, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Geelong, Melbourne | |
| 1 Nov 1917: | Involvement Gunner, 2198, 110th Australian (Howitzer) Battery, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2198 awm_unit: 110th Australian (Howitzer) Battery awm_rank: Gunner awm_died_date: 1917-11-01 |
John Roche
John Roche was born in Ireland in emigrated to Australia in 1892 at 16 years of age aboard the SS Tara. He enlisted in the AIF at the outbreak of war in August 1914 at 37 years of age. John was not married and listed his next of kin as his brother whose address was Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.
He trained in the artillery with the rank of gunner and served on Gallipoli from June 1915 to the evacuation. In early 1916 he was transferred to the 4th Division on its formation in Egypt and posted to 103 Battery in 21 Howitzer Brigade. With his unit he proceeded to France disembarking at Marseilles on 1 April 1916. In July 1916 he was transferred to the 110 Battery of 10th Field Artillery Brigade.
He was killed in action on 1 November 1917. The War Diary for the 10 Field Artillery Brigade for 1 Nov 17 entry notes “Enemy planes bombed wagon lines during night – 2 O/Rs (other ranks) killed – 19 wounded – 35 horses killed – 19 wounded’. Family members believed that he died from gas, however that doesn’t match the official records.
He is buried at the Reninghelst New Military Cemetery in Belgium, Plot 4, Row B, Grave 13.
Submitted 28 August 2019 by John Phelan
Biography contributed by John Phelan
John Roche was born in Ireland in emigrated to Australia in 1892 at 16 years of age aboard the SS Tara. He enlisted in the AIF at the outbreak of war in August 1914 at 37 years of age. John was not married and listed his next of kin as his brother whose address was Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.
He trained in the artillery with the rank of gunner and served on Gallipoli from June 1915 to the evacuation. In early 1916 he was transferred to the 4th Division on its formation in Egypt and posted to 103 Battery in 21 Howitzer Brigade. With his unit he proceeded to France disembarking at Marseilles on 1 April 1916. In July 1916 he was transferred to the 110 Battery of 10th Field Artillery Brigade.
He was killed in action on 1 November 1917. The War Diary for the 10 Field Artillery Brigade for 1 Nov 17 entry notes “Enemy planes bombed wagon lines during night – 2 O/Rs (other ranks) killed – 19 wounded – 35 horses killed – 19 wounded’. Family members believed that he died from gas, however that doesn’t match the official records.
He is buried at the Reninghelst New Military Cemetery in Belgium, Plot 4, Row B, Grave 13.
Click images to start slideshow.