Rooke, Theodore
No.611 – Private Theodore Rooke – 44th Battalion AIF
Theodore Rooke was born in East Fremantle in 1898 to Claude and Margaret Rooke. He had two younger siblings, May born in 1900 and Christopher in 1903. He also had step brothers, Edward, Ernest and George as his mother had previously been married to a Thomas Gibson, but when he died Margaret remarried Claude Rooke in 1897. Claude Rooke had a farm at Tenterden and it seems the family spent their time between there and Fremantle. Theo was educated at both Fremantle and Tenterden and after leaving school he worked as a labourer. During his early years Theo also saw service with the Fremantle based 86A cadets of the Citizens Military Forces. Unfortunately his father Claude died in 1910 but it seems the family continued to work at the farm in Tenterden.
When Theo enlisted in the AIF on the 13th January 1916 he was a day later than his step-brother Edward who had enlisted on the 12th.
(Theo and Edward pictured together)
Theo had put his postal address c/o Tenterden but he had been living with his mother in Cantonment Street Fremantle and also with his step brother George in Glyde Street East Fremantle. At the Drill Hall the medical examiner found Theo to be 5 feet 6 inches tall; weight of 127lbs; chest measurement of 31-35 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.
Upon his successful enlistment Theo was sent to No.45 Training Depot but he was not there long as on the 1st February 1916 he was assigned to “C” Company of the newly forming 44th Battalion AIF. His step brother Edward was in the same battalion but had been assigned to “A” Company. Both boys trained at Claremont Camp for the next few months prior to their departure. On the 6th June 1916 the 44th Battalion left Fremantle Harbour aboard the H.M.A.T. “Suevic”. After the long sea voyage they arrived in Plymouth England on the 21st July 1916.
The 44th Battalion would spend the next few months training in England on the legendary Salisbury Plains. It wasn’t all work however as the men were also given leave to see the sights of England. Theo must have got sick of camp life as he went absent without leave on the 30th October, only returning on the 3rd November. As a punishment he was given 4 days of Field Punishment No.2 and had to forfeit 8 days pay. His step brother didn’t learn from Theo as he was also fined for going absent without leave in November.
On the 25th November 1916 the 44th Battalion arrived at Southampton for their departure for France. The 3rd Division were given their first taste of the Western Front life at Armentieres with the 44th Battalion going into the line in December 1916. They were to spend the next few months in this region.
Trench raids were a common occurrence for infantry battalions and on the 13th March 1917 the 44th Battalion undertook one against the Germans at Grande Porte Egal Farm. Unfortunately the raid was not a success as the 44th Battalion raiding party did not get into the German’s trench due to a heavy fire and the muddy ground of No Man’s Land. On retiring from the Germans parapet the soldiers were under a heavy fire and it was reported that on the way back to their own lines Theo was hit by shrapnel in the foot and was being helped back by two comrades when another shell exploded, killing all three soldiers. Alex Renton of the 44th Battalion reported seeing Rooke hit in the chest by a shell and was carried back to the Australian lines by stretcher bearers but died close to reaching the front trench.
It was not known at what point of the battlefield that Theo was buried as after the war his grave could not be located, and he is thus commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
Theo’s stepbrother Edward continued to serve with the 44th Battalion and was promoted to Sergeant. On July 4th 1918 he was severely wounded and eventually returned to WA where he died of Wounds in May 1919. Two of Theo’s other step brothers also served in the AIF; Ernest & George Gibson; both served in the 10th Light Horse and survived the war.