QSA & WW1 Trio to Rooke Norfolk Regiment.

Queens South Africa Medal with 3 clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg and Johannesburg, correctly named to 1058 Pte M Rooke. Norfolk Regiment. 1914 / 15 star correctly named to 2311 Pte M Rooke. Norfolk Regiment, British war and victory medal also correctly named to 2311 Serjeant M Rooke. Norfolk Regiment.
He enlisted into the Norfolk regiment at Great Yarmouth in 1884 under the name of Edward Kelly, stating his age as 18 years, being born in Birmingham (1886), previously employed as a Brass Founder, and his father as Peter Kenny still living in Birmingham. In 1890 he signs a document now stating his name to be incorrect and his true name is Michael Rooke, the document also says that he produced a birth certificate to confirm this as correct. Before this he has served 206 days in Gibraltar and went on to serve over ten years on home service at Aldershot, Great Yarmouth, Norwich and Colchester. He sailed with the 2nd Battalion on the SS Assaye on 4th January 1900, arriving at the Cape on the 23rd. The 2nd battalion Norfolk’s along with the 2nd Lincolnshire, 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers, and 2nd Hampshire, formed the 14th Brigade under Brigadier General Chermside, part of the VIIth Division under Lieutenant General Tucker.
The VIIth Division took part in the advance from Modder River to Bloemfontein and on 11th February 1900 the division moved from Enslin and Graspan to Ramdan; and the next day to Dekiel Drift on the Riet River.
On the evening of the 14th the division moved to Wegdraai Drift, still on the Riet and on the 15th, part of the division occupied Jacobsdal, to which place Lord Roberts moved his headquarters on the 16th. They were then ordered to march from from Jacobsdal to Paardeberg, where the division arrived on the evening of the 19th taking part in the latter faze of the battle, fighting the Boer reinforcements coming to General Cronje’s assistance
On the 7th March the 2nd Norfolks along with the 14th brigade fought the battle of Poplars Grove. From here the division were marched to Bloemfonteinb being posted north of the town, now under the command of General Maxwell. On 29th March they fought the action of Karee Siding to drive the Boers off a line of kopjes from which they had been harassing the brigade with sniper fire. The Norfolk’s were the first in the infantry advance and seized the position allotted to them but with casualties, totalling around 170. In May 1900 the 2nd battalion fought with the VIIth and Xlth Divisions to take Johannesburg, the town surrendering on the 31st. The men of the VIIth and Xlth Divisions marched past the Commander-in-Chief in the town, and later moving on to Pretoria, which was occupied on 5th June, the 14th Brigade, was detailed to garrison that city, and now Major General Maxwell was appointed governor.
The Norfolk’s were present at the ceremony of proclaiming the annexation of the Transvaal on 25th October 1900. During the later stages of the war the battalion was employed mainly in the Central Transvaal, being for a considerable time at the garrison of Rustenburg.
Michael Rooke was Discharged on 31st December 1901. All clasps confirmed on QSA medal roll.
When war broke out in August 1914, Michael was once again called to arms, he reenlisted into the Norfolk regiment on 12th August 1914 in Norwich, this time with the 4th territorial battalion, forming part of Norfolk and Suffolk Brigade (retitled as 163rd Brigade), 54th East Anglian Division.
In his reenlistment he states his age as 37 years, where in fact if he was born as we know around 1866 – 67 he would have been 47 years.
The 4th battalion embarked from Liverpool to Gallipoli via Mudros and landed at Suvla Bay on 10th August 1915, Michael now being promoted to lance corporal. His time in Gallipoli was spent in action in the Suvla Bay area suffering heavy casualties, himself wounded on the 24th August. On 26th November the division was ordered to withdraw to Mudros and on the 3rd to 8th December the units were evacuated from Gallipoli, and at that point the entire division was only 240 officers and 4480 men strong. On 13th December it then went on to Alexandria in Egypt, where it arrived on the 18th December 1915. All units of the division then concentrated at Sidi Bishr, moving on to the Southern Section of the Suez Canal defences on 2nd April 1916. Michael now promoted to Serjeant, taking part in the three battles of Gaza including the Capture in early November and the Battle of Jaffa on 21st / 22nd December.
On 31st December he was transferred to the 1st garrison battalion Essex Regiment, moving to Egypt in February 1916, where it then remained for the rest of the war.
Life in the middle east was not easy during the war, sickness like dysentery and cholera was rife due to poor sanitation and Micheal succumbed to such type of illness as he was discharged with sickness on 8th July 1919, he is also entitled to a silver war badge.
Now the above pertains to his military service records, if we try and find his in electoral or census records, it becomes problematic. There is no Michael Rooke that fits this man’s details. There is a Michael Rooke who has the same time of birth and place of birth and occupation, but if we follow him, he is in Warwickshire in 1901, when he should be in south Africa. This is the same through all censuses for Mickael Rooke with these details. So, in conclusion, this name must also be false, I can not find a man of this name that matches with age, place of birth, Fathers name or even wife’s name. he must have been running from something, but he was a model soldier in all respects, this needs more research. I have supplied as much as I can find, service records, medal rolls, medal index card, SWB roll etc.
His medals are in excellent condition and name, number, regiment on medals are all confirmed.

Code: 31842