Tom Dalzell Rothery
St Bees Dead of the First World War
Roll of Honour
Tom Dalzell Rothery
lst Bn Border Regiment
Killed in Action Ypres 1917, aged 19
From the “Whitehaven News” 19th July 1917:
A ST. BEES SOLDIER KILLED IN ACTIONMr. and Mrs. J.W. Rothery, Marsh House, St. Bees, have received the news of the death of their son, Private Tom Dalzell Rothery, the Border Regiment, who was killed in action.
The intimation came from the chaplain, in which he states: “Private Rothery was out on patrol in the dark with a party led by my brother, who is a captain, when they were attacked and heavily shelled. A piece of shell struck Rothery, and killed him instantaneously. He had just volunteered for a very dangerous piece of work, and I am told he was one of the smartest men in the company. My brother says he cannot speak too highly of him. He was buried reverently by his comrades in the trenches. All officers and men join with me in sending you our deepest sympathy”.
Private Rothery, who is 20 years of age, joined up a few days before his nineteenth birthday, and had only been six weeks in France. Mr. and Mrs. Rothery have the sympathy of all who knew him. They have also another son, the eldest, Allen Rothery, late of the Border Regiment, now at home discharged, after being badly wounded and in hospital nine months. A third son is now in training at Romsey. Strange to say both officer and chaplain of the deceased are brothers and old boys from the St. Bees School, who personally know his father, who is groundsman at the school. (Joe Rothery – Ed)