Dennis Roberts was killed in action on 12 October 1944 in the vicinity of Overloon. He was aged 26 at the time. He was a Lance Sergeant in the 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment (Service No. 3653314). He was initially buried 2km west of Overloon, south of the Overloon to Oploo road and re-interred on 27 May 1947 in grave IV. B. 9 in the Overloon CWG Cemetery.

Family background

Dennis was the son of Robert Roberts and Annie Catherine Patrick who had married in Bangor, Caernarvonshire in Wales in 1906.

Robert was born on 23 April 1882 in Bangor and Annie on 28 June 1883 in Llanllechid near Bangor.

They had children as follows: Eirwen b1907, David Glyn b 1909, Catherine b 1910, Idris b 7 June 1914 and Dennis b 14 April 1918. Eirwen and David were born in Llandygai just outside Bangor and Catherine and Idris in Pontypridd, suggesting the family moved there between 1909 and 1910. Dennis was born in the West Derby district of Liverpool, suggesting that the family had moved from Pontypridd to Liverpool between 1914 and 1918. Eirwen was brought up by her grandparents though visited the family often.

In 1911 Robert and Annie were living with David and Catherine at 5 Berw Road Pontypridd, Glamorganshire. Robert was working as a Carter in the building trade.

By June 1921, Robert and Annie were living at 61, Freeland Street, Kirkdale, Lancashire with David, Catherine and Dennis. Robert was working as a Match Room Foreman for Maguire, Patteson & Parmer, Match Manufacturers.

Dennis’ sister, Catherine, married John McKenzie in 1929 in Liverpool. They had two children. Sadly, Dennis’ brother David died in 1934 aged just 24 and his sister Catherine died in 1935, also aged 24, both in Liverpool.

Military career

On 14 April 1936, which was his eighteenth birthday, Dennis enlisted as a Private at Liverpool in the 1st South Lancashire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’ Volunteers). He signed up in the Regular Army under their normal terms of engagement which was for 7 years in the colours then 5 years in the reserves.

Prior to enlisting he had been working as a Milk Roundsman. He was described as being 5 ft 3 ¼ in tall with a fresh complexion, blue/grey eyes and auburn hair and was considered medically fit.

His parents were living at this time at 25 Moss Street, Garston, Liverpool.

He seems to have successfully passed examinations on 9 July 1936 and 20 March 1937. He was appointed as a
Lance Corporal on 17 November 1937 and promoted to Corporal on 1 May 1939.

Britain had declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939. At this time, the 1st Battalion of the South Lancashires were based at Dover.

On 18 September, Dennis married Annie Harle Bishop at Dover Registry Office. Annie had been born in 1919 in West Derby, Lancashire to James and Ethel Bishop. In 1921 she had been living with her parents and sister at 44, Manningham Road, Liverpool, Walton on the Hill, Lancashire. Her father had been born in Liverpool in 1884 and her mother in 1892 in Pelton, County Durham. Her father was a Water Manufacturer but was out of work at the time.

Dennis’ Service Record seems to give her address initially as 26 Burman Road, Allerton, Liverpool 19 but this was later crossed out and replaced by 259 Old Chester Road, Lower Tranmere, Birkenhead.

In September 1939, Dennis’ parents were living at 3 Springwood Avenue, Liverpool with their son, Idris. Robert was employed as a Match Machine Attendant but was on a pension due to ill health. Idris was a General Labourer. An unnamed child was also present, probably a grandchild.

Dennis was sent to France on 6 October 1939 with his Battalion as part of the British Expeditionary Force. He was evacuated from Dunkirk on 1 June 1940.

However, he was declared a deserter on 19 June 1940, rejoining his unit on 16 July 1940. He was tried for deserting on 29 July 1940. He was found not guilty of deserting but was found guilty of being absent without leave. He was sentenced to undergo Field Punishment for 56 days and reduced to the ranks. He was sent to the Detention Barracks in Hull on 5 August 1940, though may have returned to his unit on 12 August to serve the rest of his sentence. It is likely that his incident may have been a result of trauma he had experienced in France.

On 15 October 1940 he was again appointed as a Lance Corporal suggesting that he was still considered to be a good soldier.

On 5 February 1941 he was transferred to the 8th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was admitted to a Casualty Reception Station on 28 March and discharged on 9 April. On 17 April he was admitted to Shaftesbury Military Hospital. He was transferred to Battle Hospital in Reading on 25 April and discharged from there on 5 May. The reason for his admission to hospital is not known.

While in hospital, on 30 April 1941, he was posted to the 3rd Battalion of the Reconnaissance Regiment. However, just over a week later, on 10 May 1941, he was transferred back to the 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment.

He passed a test as a Specialist Driver In Charge (wheeled) on 12 June 1941 and was promoted to Acting Corporal on 11 September 1941. It was converted to a War Substantive position on 10 December 1941 as he had held the acting rank for 3 months. However, on 29 December 1941 he was severely reprimanded and forfeited 2 days’ pay for absence.

Dennis and Annie had a daughter in Dorchester, Dorset late in 1941. His absence may have been to enable him to see his daughter.

On 31 July 1942, he was attached to the 4th Anti Tank Regiment of the Royal Artillery at Hitchin. However, on 11 August he was admitted to Chalk Dell Hospital in Hitchin, being discharged from there on 25 August. He was granted leave from 31 August to 9 September 1942.

He was admitted to the “9th Field Ambulance” on 28 January and discharged on 4 February 1943. This suggests he had again had an injury or illness.

He seems to have only had around one or two weeks leave in each year of the war.

The Battalion embarked for North West Europe on 3 June 1944, landing at Sword Beach on D-Day, 6 June. At this time, the 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment was part of the 8th Infantry Brigade (which included the 1st Suffolk Regiment and 2nd East Yorkshire Regiment) attached to the 3rd Infantry Division, nicknamed Monty’s Ironsides.

Dennis was appointed as Lance Sergeant on 10 June.

He was wounded on his right knee by a mortar on 25 June. At this time, the Battalion was based at Le Landel during the attack on Chateau de la Londe which was part of the battle for Caen. He returned to the UK on the 26th to be admitted to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital. He was placed on what was called the Y List for men away from their regiments due to sickness, hospitalisation etc. At that point, his rank reverted to War Substantive Corporal.

He was posted to the 5th Infantry Division on 11 July 1944 and there were plans to transfer him to 103 Reinforcement Holding Unit on 24 August, but this was cancelled. He was posted back to the 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment on 4 October 1944 in North West Europe.

Meanwhile, the 1st South Lancashires had continued to play its part in the war in Normandy then from 16 to 18 September they moved through Belgium to reach Lille St Hubert, just south of the Dutch border south of Eindhoven. They reached Weert in the Netherlands by the 22nd.  On 27 September they moved on again to reach Bakel which is just north east of Eindhoven. The following day they moved again slightly further north to Mortel to allow the American 7thArmoured Division to occupy the area at Bakel. The Americans were moving through to St Anthonis. The Battalion remained at Mortel until 1 October when they moved further north to Heumen which is just south of Nijmegen and north of Cuijk and then to nearby Mook on 3 October. It was while they were in Mook that Dennis will have re-joined them.

By this time, Operation Market Garden further to the north had failed to take the bridge at Arnhem. This left the Allies in a narrow corridor through the Netherlands. An attempt had been made by the American 7th Armoured Division on 30 September to widen this corridor east to the River Meuse by attacking Overloon from their position at St Anthonis, but this attack had failed.

The 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment remained at Mook until 8 October when they moved south to Wanroy. It had been decided that the Americans were to withdraw and leave widening the corridor through Overloon, Venray and Venlo to the British. Initially, it was intended that the attack on Overloon would begin on 11 October. However, this was postponed until 12 October due to the very wet weather and ground conditions.

On 12 October the attack started at noon with a very heavy artillery barrage. The 2 East Yorks led the attack on what was described as Dog Wood to the west of Overloon while the 1 Suffolks targeted Overloon itself. Both achieved their objectives by 1500 hours, but with some mopping up still to do. The 1 South Lancs were initially held in reserve but at 1700 hours A and D Companies were ordered to advance to clear a remaining area with one troop of the 3 Grenadier Guards in support of each forward Company. B and C Companies and one further troop of Grenadier Guards were in reserve. They met very little opposition and by dusk were in position on the forward edge of a clearing. However, it was on this day that Dennis Roberts was killed in action along with five others from his Battalion who were killed that day and are now buried alongside each other. He died only eight days after rejoining his battalion.

Dennis was awarded the 1939-43 Star on 3 August 1944 and subsequently the France and Germany Star and Defence Medal. His wife was awarded a pension with an allowance for their child.

Dennis’ brother, Idris, had married Vera Mangin in 1944 in Liverpool, but died there aged just 31 in 1945.

Dennis’ father died in 1946 at 26 Burman Road Liverpool and his mother in early 1957. She is buried at Allerton Cemetery on Merseyside. Sadly, they had seen four of their five children die in their lifetime.

Annie Roberts went on to marry for a second time in late 1946 in Birkenhead. However, she died aged just 34 in 1953 in Wallasey, Cheshire. Her husband went on to remarry.

Dennis’ sister, Eirwen, married John Mervin Connolly in 1958 in Liverpool. She died in 1975.

Dennis’ daughter married and had two children.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
“Researching WW2” website for help with Abbreviations used in WW2
1 South Lancashire Regiment War Diaries from Normandy War Guide and Traces of War Websites
Wikipedia for information on the 1 South Lancashire Regiment
National Army Museum for information on the 1 South Lancashire Regiment
Service Record for Dennis Roberts from the National Archives ref WO 423/487306
Photo from Dennis’ granddaughter via Findagrave and Ancestry
Assistance from Dawn Hughes (granddaughter of Dennis’ cousin).

Research Elaine Gathercole