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Roger Allison Stamp (1895-1953)


Private 1848 in the 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry


Roger Allison Stamp was born in St. John’s parish, Stockton, and enlisted in the 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) as a volunteer in June 1913. 5DLI was a territorial battalion that recruited in the south east of County Durham, including Stockton on Tees. At the time of enlistment he was working as a plater in Ropner’s shipyard in Stockton.

Roger departed for the Western Front on 17 April 1915 with the first DLI territorials to see action in the First World War. Within days his battalion was plunged into the Second Battle of Ypres.

He was first wounded on 17 June 1915 near Sanctuary Wood in Belgium when a bullet grazed the side of his head. This was treated in France and Roger rejoined his battalion on 1 July 1915.

He continued to serve with the 5th Battalion DLI until 10 August 1917 when he was wounded by an exploding bomb at Guemappe. After treatment at 20th Casualty Clearing Station he was returned to the UK for recuperation in the 3rd Scottish General Hospital and spent a total of 222 days in hospital. Roger was discharged from the Army on medical grounds in May 1918.

In 1923 he emigrated to the USA and remained there until his death in 1953.

Starting on the day when he departed from England, Roger Stamp kept a personal diary of his war service. The diary entries cover the period from April 1915 to March 1918 and offer a fascinating insight into an infantryman’s daily life, experiences and preoccupations. As a Methodist he was a teetotaller and usually refused the rum ration in the trenches.

Thanks to Roger’s family the diary entries have been transcribed and are now being made available online for everyone to enjoy. Publication has been timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the departure of the 5th Battalion DLI, and the Second Battle of Ypres. Follow the link at the bottom of this page.

You can also view Roger’s daily diary entries on the Heritage Stockton – this is your story… website:
http://heritage.stockton.gov.uk/people/war-diaries-stockton-man-1915-1918/

Civil Parish: Stockton on Tees

Birth date: 20-Apr-1895

Death date: 12-May-1953 Los Angeles, California, USA

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Born Stockton on Tees
4 King Street, Stockton on Tees (1901 census)
24 Russell Street, Stockton on Tees (1911 census)
Emigrated to America in 1923
Lived in Los Angeles, California, until his death

Religion: Wesleyan Methodist

Employment: Pawnshop assistant (1911 census)
Plater at Ropner’s shipyard, Stockton on Tees (June 1913)

Family: Father – Francis Albert Stamp
Mother – Elizabeth Annie Stamp (nee Dalkin)
Brother – Francis Albert Stamp (known as Albert)
Brother – Thomas Stamp (known as Tom)
Sister – Annie Stamp

Military service:

Joined 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry 25-Jun-1913
Service no. 1848, later renumbered as 200105
Rank - Private; promoted to Lance Corporal; recommended for a commission shortly before being wounded
Served France and Belgium 18-Apr-1915 to 22-Aug-1917
Wounded 17-Jun-1915 and 10-Aug-1917
Army pension records on Ancestry website, ref. WO 364
Discharged on medical grounds at Ripon, Jun-1918

Medal(s): Location of campaign medals not known
Awarded the 1915 Star, Victory Medal and British War Medal, also the Silver War Badge
Medal index card – TNA: WO 372/19/11791
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D5349745

Memorial(s): Ashes interred in family plot in Durham Road Cemetery, Stockton on Tees

Gender: Male

Contributed by Linda Patterson, Redcar | Durham County Record Office