ROLPH, Charles Frederick

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
London
Original Unit
Canadian Engineers
Rank
Sapper
Date of Death
Age at Death
26
Cemetery
Villers Station Cemetery - Villers-au-Bois - Pas de Calais - France
Cenotaph
Seaforth Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         4th Canadian Infantry Division
                                             4th Canadian Divisional Engineers
                                             12th Field Company – Canadian Engineers
SERVICE NO:                   502620
RESIDENCE:                    Seaforth - Ontario
DATE OF BIRTH:            March 18, 1889
                                             West Hampton – London - England
DATE OF DEATH:           March 28, 1917                    28 years
CEMETERY:                     Villers Station Cemetery – Villers-au-Bois
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             VII     B     25
WIFE:                                 Mrs. M. Rolph – Winnipeg - Manitoba
BROTHER:                        Mr. Percy Rolph – London - Ontario
PARENTS:                         Mr. Charles and Harriet Rolph – West Hampton – London - England
Occupation:                        Telephone Lineman             Religion:     Church of England
Enlistment:                         January 17, 1916 – London into 7th Field Company of Canadian Engineers
Enlistment Age:                 26 years     9 months

He arrived in Liverpool on the SS Metagama on March 25, 1916. He was Taken on Strength by the Canadian Engineers Training Depot at Shorncliffe on April 26, 1916 and following this he transfers to the Canadian Engineers Pool based at Crowborough – Sussex on November 13, 1916. He goes into France to the Canadian Base Depot and transfers to the 12th Field Company Canadian Engineers on February 4, 1917.
The mid-month shift had just been completed with the 4th Division taking over both the St. Emile and Lens sectors.
A sapper is one who builds and maintains the road systems, demolition duties, field defences and general construction.
Sapper Rolph and his unit were situated east of Souchez and this is where he lost his life in action.
March 28, 1917 was fair but it was cold and rainy in the night. The enemy had been heavily shelling the communication trenches and rear areas with Blue Bull & Ersatx trenches being blown in. During this shelling one man was killed by an enemy High Explosive Shell and our research tells us this was Sapper Rolph.