Rowland Maertens Poole was born in 1896 in Wolverhampton Staffordshire to John Francis Maertens Poole and Sarah Letitia Cammerer.
Using www.ancestry.co.uk we can find Rowland in the 1901 census. He was living with his family at 5 Dee Cottages Hawarden. John FM Poole (36) was a sheet steel roller from Motley Staffordshire. Sarah Letitia Poole (34) was born in Kings Norton Birmingham. The couple were married in 1893 and had four children, Francis H (7), Rowland M (5), Leslie V (2) and Normal S Poole aged 5 months.
Later in the 1911 census we find the family is living at Chester Road Shotton with father John FM Poole aged 46, continuing in his trade as a sheet steel roller. The mother (in this census named as Letitia) was aged 44. She had been married to John for 18 years. She had given birth to 7 children, 6 of whom were still living. The listed children were Francis H Poole (17) a part time teaching assistant, Rowland M (15)s a school boy, followed by Leslie V (12), Norman S (10), Eric H (8) and Clement AM Poole age 5.
Using www.ancestry.co.uk we can find the ww1 service record for RM Poole which states that he enlisted in Liverpool on the 29th November 1915 at the age of 19 years and 4 months. He was living at ‘The Fields’ Hope Flintshire and his military record lists his father John FM Poole as next of kin. Rowland was 5 foot 9 inches tall with a 37 inch chest On the 9th June 1916 Rowland embarked for France but was killed in action on the 9th August 1916.
The battalion that Rowland was part of saw service in the battle of the Somme starting in July 1916. As he is listed on the Thiepval Memorial it is likely that his body was not found.
His personal effects were returned to his father John FM Poole. These consisted of a tobacco pouch, a new testament and a pocket wallet containing photos.
Using UK army registers of soldiers effects 1901 – 1929 we can see that his father received £3 11d and 4s which was outstanding money owed to Roland.
During the research I did find pictures of Rowland during his army service, but have been unable to find the book these photographs came from.
He is also named on the Connahs Quay and Hawarden Memorials.
