Frank's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Son of Joseph and Ellen Roome, of 4 Market St, Whaley Bridge, Cheshire.
More information will be added here when research is complete.
WW1 SERVICE
Frank was reported missing after 31st July 1917 and it was later assumed that he was killed in action on that date.
His death was reported in the Macclesfield Times of 24 August 1917:
ALWAYS CHEERFUL AND JOLLY – PRIVATE KILLED BY SHELL FIRE
Mr and Mrs J Roome, Stanley St, Macclesfield, have received a letter… presuming the death in action of their son, Pte Frank Roome, King’s Liverpool Regt: “… I feel it is right to tell you that he must have been killed in action on July 31st. He was attached to our headquarters with two pigeons, and a shell pitched right into the party he was with. The man in front of him was killed and the three behind him wounded. As we have no news of him getting away, we are bound to presume that he was killed… For the last two months he had been working for the officers of the company. He was always cheerful and jolly…”
Private Roome was twenty-nine years of age and a native of Macclesfield. He was educated at Christ Church Day School and attended the Parish Church. He was formerly secretary of the Macclesfield Working Men’s Homing Union, and was a well-known footballer, having played for the Lower Heyes team in the local Workshops competition. Before enlistment, just over two years ago, he was employed as a weaver at the Lower Heyes Mill, where he had been since leaving school. Private Roome was drafted out to France last October. Three brothers are serving… Pte Fred Roome, Cheshire Regt, is now in hospital at Birmingham, having been wounded by shrapnel on Aug 10th. He was previously wounded in June 1916. He is 28 years of age and like his deceased brother. was employed at the Lower Heyes. Pte Harry Roome, the second brother, is serving with the Cheshires in France, having been out since February 1915. The other brother, Cpl Arthur Roome, Ches Regt, took part in the Suvla Bay fighting in August 1915, and was invalided home with dysentry after being wounded in the hand. He is now on the hospital staff at Oswestry. A brother-in-law, Corporal George Davenport, Ches Regt, was wounded whilst on service in Egypt, and at present is stationed at Heaton park, Manchester.
COMMEMORATION
Private Frank Roome has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel Ref. 4 and 6 on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private Frank Roome, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
In Macclesfield, Private Frank Roome is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall, St Michael’s Church, and Christ Church School war memorials.
NOTES
Brothers Fred Roome, who served as Private 35290 with the 9th Cheshire Regt; Harry Roome, who served as Private 1856 with the Cheshire Regt, and later as Private 170180 with the Machine Gun Corps; Arthur Roome, who served as Private 1884 with the Cheshire Regiment and later as Private 362268 with the RAMC; and brother-in-law of George Davenport, who served as Corporal 290937 with the Cheshire Regiment.
SOURCES
WWI Absent Voters Lists (FindMyPast): Macclesfield Parliamentary Division
Macclesfield Times: 24 August 1917
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.