20581 Col Sgt Percival Rose, Loyal North Lancashire Regt

20581 Col Sgt Percival Rose of the Loyal North Lancashire Regt, died at home on this day, 16th July, 1915. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) he was the husband of Florence Mable Rose of 7 North Terrace, Carlisle.

Soldiers Died in The Great War records that he was born in India and enlisted at Preston. He is buried at Preston New Hall Lane Cemetery; grave reference T.CE.102.

The fact that Percival was born in India and that he was a colour sergeant at the time of his death, suggests to me that he was possibly born into a military family and almost certainly had prior military experience himself. I'm guessing he had seen service with the regular army and had then been discharged, volunteering in 1915 and then serving in possibly an administrative / training role with the Loyal North Lancs Regiment. This is all pure supposition on my part however. Certainly he does not appear to have served overseas prior to joining the Loyal North Lancs as there appears to be no medal index card in his name. His Loyal North Lancs army service number suggests that he joined the regiment in April 1915.

CWGC notes that Percival was 36 years old when he died. He had married Florence Mabel Farish in 1908 (registered at Carlisle in the June quarter of that year) but I have been unable to locate him on any of the census returns and it's possible that he was in India when these were taken.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (BMD)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War