Herbert Maurice Roe

Corporal Herbert Maurice Roe, M.M.
04 Jun 1917 - 06 May 2014
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Herbert Maurice Roe
Biography

Born in Ealing, London he married Winifred F Hayes in 1953 and the couple lived at 3 Denbigh Road, London W13. Herbert was then working as a clerk for H.M Customs & Excise.

Postings
Unit or location Role Posted from until
The Garth, Bilting, Kent Scout Section Corporal 1940 1941
Operation Jedburgh SOE Agent 1944 1944
Operation Jedburgh SOE Agent 1944 1944
Force 136 SOE Agent 1944 1945
Force 136 SOE Agent 1944 1945
Regiment
The King's Royal Rifle Corps
Military number
6896269
Occupation

Ledger clerk for Cerebos Ltd

Career

Maurice Roe joined SOE in 1942 from No.2 Commando, missing the St Nazaire raid for his interview. He wrote to Lieutenant Micky Burn's father recalling his involvement in arranging that interview (presumably through his contacts with Colonel Gubbins) and how the two men had served together ever since the TA, including in Norway. This may indicate that he was one of the Norway veterans taken to Kent to help train Auxiliary Units, though this is unconfirmed. He was certainly in Kent at the time, recalling helping to repair Lympne airfield.

From SOE he joined the Small Scale Raiding Force, taking part in the raid on Herm in the Channel Islands before this was disbanded.

He then received training as a Jedburgh team member and was dropped into Marne 9 July 1944 as part of Operation Pedlar, winning the Military Medal for his actions. He was originally recommended for a British Empire Medal but was awarded the Military Medal 21 June 1945 instead.

He then moved to the Far East as part of SOE's Force 136, dropping into the Karen areas of Burma to organise resistance activities against the Japanese. All of this suggests he was interested in behind the lines operations and was a likely person to have been involved with Auxiliary Units.

Address
20 Westfield Road, London, W13
Other pictures
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Roe BEM recommendation page 1 (TNA ref WO373/98/668)
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Roe BEM recommendation page 2 (TNA ref WO373/98/668)
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Roe (TNA ref HS9/1276/1