Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Lieutenant H. Roos, Royal Sussex Regiment, late ‘Benbow’ Battalion, Royal Naval Division

1914 Star, with clasp (L.1/3299 A.B., R.N.V.R. Benbow Bttn. R.N.D.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.), with damaged card boxes of issue, extremely fine (3) £340-380

Harold Roos was born on 7 April 1879. A member of the Stock Exchange, he lived at “Dalebury”, Fairdene Road, Coulsdon, Surrey. He joined the London Division of the R.N.V.R. on 21 October 1903 and was discharged at his own request on 22 June 1906. He rejoined on 5 August 1914 and served with the Benbow Battalion, part of the 1st Royal Naval Brigade. The Battalion was despatched to Antwerp and arrived there on 6 October 1914. During the afternoon of 8 October it became clear that the Belgian fortress troops could not hold out much longer, and in order to prevent Brritish forces becoming trapped and forced to surrender, the decision was made to withdraw. The withdrawal of the Brigade was chaotic. During the evening of 9 October, Commodore Henderson, the Brigade commander, in order to save lives, gave orders to his command to march over the Dutch border and into internment. However Sub-Lieutenant G. G. Grant of the Benbow Battalion hung back and was able to lead some 40 men of the Battalion to safety and freedom - Roos being one of these. Grant was later awarded a D.S.C. for his action. Roos was discharged from the R.N.V.R. in November 1914 to join the Public Schools & Universities Brigade, Royal Fusiliers (18th Battalion). With the battalion he attained the rank of Sergeant in April 1915. In April the following year he was posted to No.3 Officers Cadet Battalion. He was granted a temporary commission in the 12th East Surrey Regiment and on 2 December 1917 was promoted to Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. With the east Surrey regiment, on 3/4 October 1916 he was wounded in the “Factory” trench near Gueudecourt on the Somme - being blown up and buried and rendered unconscious. He was invalided to the 4th London General Hospital and it was not until the end of November 1917 that he was fit for duty. He transferred to the 33rd Battalion M.G.C. in July 1918 and was discharged on 20 February 1919. Sold with copied research.