Arthur Francis Rouse

Trooper Arthur Francis Rouse

Service Number: 14585570 - Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C. 49th (West Riding) Regt

Birth 01 Sep 1916 Smethwick, Staffordshire, England.

Died 26 October 1944, age 28

Son of Arthur J. and Ellen Rouse, of Smethwick, Staffordshire; husband of Frances Beatrice Rouse, of Smethwick.

He was educated at St. Philips Roman Catholic School, Smethwick and then worked at B.S.A. in Smethwick as a rifle barrel turner until he joined the army in April,1943.

Arthur had married Frances Beatrice Davis (1920-2009) in 1942 in Smethwick. They had twin daughters born in Birmingham in1943, Patricia and Margaret. Margaret died shortly after birth. Patricia went on to marry John L Franks in1963 and had two daughters – Arthur's grandchildren.

Personal Inscription: REMEMBERED ALWAYS BY FRANCES AND PAT, MOM, DAD AND FAMILY. REST IN PEACE

BERGEN-OP-ZOOM WAR CEMETERY 7. C. 15.

CWGC

Soldier Arthur Francis Rouse died on 26 October 1944 in Nispen, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands, when he was just 28 years old. Whilst awaiting support of Clarkeforce infantry troops, his reconnaissance vehicle of the A Squadron 49th Reconnaissance Regiment was hit at the crossroads of Bergsebaan and Rietgoorsestraat. From the crew Luitenant M. Dobson was wounded; whilst Soldiers John Walker and Arthur Rouse and Serjeant Leslie Barker were killed instantly.

As Walker, Rouse and Barker where one of the first victims to fall during the liberation of Nispen, their names were put on the Memoriam board. According to the coördinates of the graves registration report from the CWGC, they were buried to the NORTH of Nispen, on the crossroads of Bergesbaan and Kozijnstraat and then reburied in the cemetery of Bergen op Zoom.