Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Roger Stobbart born January 19th 1897 was the only son of Edward Stobbart born 1842 at Low Flatts, Chester-le-Street, County Durham and his second wife Jane Ann Wood of South Shields, County Durham, born in 1855, whom he married in 1891. He had a sister Alice born 1895 and 6 half brothers and 3 half sisters from his father’s marriage September 10th 1864 at Christ Church, Seaham, to Jane Whitfield born 1846 at Rainton Gate who had died in 1890 in the district of Lanchester, County Durham.
Roger’s mother, Jane Ann, died during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1897 aged 44 years when he was less than a year old, his sister was 3 years of age. In 1901 they were living at 2, Summerson Buildings, Dawdon, parish of Seaham where Edward was employed as a coal miner/labourer, living with them was his son William (36) a hewer, both worked below ground at the colliery. Roger had moved in with his uncle, coal miner/stoneman Robert Stobbart (58) and his wife Sarah (64) by 1911, also living with them at South Pontop, Annfield Plain was his aunt’s sister, Barbara Forness (62). Both he and his uncle were employed at South Pontop Colliery, he was a pony putter.
Roger, who was residing at Stadford Buildings, Leadgate, enlisted at Consett, December 10th 1915 and was posted to the Army Reserve, it was not until July 11th 1917 that he was mobilised and transferred to the 89th Training Reserve Battalion. November 15th 1917 he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own), at Catterick as Private 57873, for final training. Docked 2 days' pay for overstaying his final leave from February 19th 1918 until February 21st 1918, having been ordered to return to barracks by the Military Police, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he departed to join his regiment at the Infantry Base Depot in France, March 18th 1918. Posted to the 9th Battalion then on to the 1/7th Battalion (Leeds Rifles) West Yorkshire Regiment as a Rifleman, March 23rd 1918 he joined the battalion in the field, it participated during the Spring Offensive in Belgium at the Battle of the Lys April 9th-29th 1918.
Rifleman Stobbart was recorded as missing April 25th 1918 and reported as having been taken prisoner the following day by the British Red Cross, his next of kin, sister Alice Hodgson, was informed, as his father Edward had died in 1915. Roger was transported as prisoner of war to Mannschaftslager at Ohrdruf, Germany, located on a former Army training ground which held 15,000 men, under the control of the XI (German) Army Corps (Cassel).
It was not until September 10th 1920 that the fate of Rifleman Stobbart was confirmed. A translation was received by the War Office (Casualties) Alexandra Palace, London, of a death certificate, No. 252, issued by the Registrar Office at Ohrdruf, November 6th 1918, it reads as follows, “Ohrdruf, 8th October, 1918. It has been notified from the Royal Prisoners of War Hospital, of Ohrdruf Parade Ground, that Private Roger Stobbart, of the 1/7th West Yorkshire Regiment, B Company, Farmer, Aged 21 years 8 months, Anglican Religion, Residence unknown, Aunt: Sarah Ann Stobbart, Charke Buildings, West Road, Annelid Plain, Single, Born at Seaham Harbour, Durham, on the 19th January, 1897: Died at Ohrdruf, in the Prisoner of War Hospital, on the fourth of October, nineteen hundred and eighteen at half past five a.m. The Registrar, Signed For: Ludwig. It is hereby certified that the above extract is a true copy from the Chief Death Register in the Registry Office at Ohrdruf.” This report was considered by the War Office as sufficient evidence for official purposes that Rifleman Stobbart was dead and to inform the next of kin.
Rifleman 57873 Roger Stobbart died of dysentery, October 4th 1918 and was interred at the P.O.W. Cemetery at Ohrdruf, grave 659. During the war almost 3,000 Allied soldiers and civilians including, French, Russian and Commonwealth forces were buried all over Germany. In 1922-23 it was decided that all Commonwealth burials should be brought together in four permanent cemeteries within Germany. March 29th 1924 the remains of Rifleman Stobbart were exhumed and brought into one of these for reburial with all reverence and military honours at Niederzwehren Cemetery, Kassel, Hessen, Germany. He is at rest grave IV. E. 9. at the time of his demise he was 21years of age and single.
His sister Alice living at 75, Front Street, South Hetton, County Durham, wrote a letter to the Records Office, York, it reads as follows, transcribed including any spelling or grammatical errors, “With reference to No. 57873 Pte. Roger Stobbart, 1/7th Yorkshire Rgt., who died a Prisoner of War in Germany: I Mrs Alice Hodgson claim to be the Next Of Kin to the above deceased & have received all com (erased) formation about him been dead also the King’s Sympathy and the Bronze Plaque. Now I think it is about time I had his medals & personal property & money which he is entitled to because I have been waiting of you to write as I am the only one left after he died & am entitled to everything that belongs to him hoping this will receive attention I Remain Yours Faithfully, Mrs Alice Hodgson.” August 19th 1924 the Records Office, York responded as follows, “Madam, In reply to your letter of recent date, I have to inform you that the medals of the late No. 57873 Private R. Stobbart, West Yorkshire Regiment, have been issued to Mrs. Sarah A. Stobbart, Aunt and Sole legattee, in accordance with War Office Instructions. Yours faithfully, Lieut for Colonel In Charge Records, York.” His aunt Sarah also received all monies due to him as per his will.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Roger Stobbart is remembered at Greencroft on G54.01 and G54.02 at Annfield Plain on A38.01 and at Stanley on S135.04
