On December 16, 1947, the city of Manchester’s Mayor and Board of Alderman approved
Photograph of Joseph H.W. Roux’s recognition plaque, located in Manchester NH
at the NW corner of Bartlett and Amory Streets. Copyright of Martin Miccio for
the City of Manchester, and used here with permission.
an ordinance: “That the square located where Amory Street, Montgomery Street and Bartlett Street intersects, be officially designated… as Joseph H.W. Roux Square.” The memorial plaque sits on the NW corner of Bartlett and Amory Streets, and reads: S/SGT. JOSEPH ROUX AAF. BORN JULY 30, 1921. DIED SEPTEMBER 8, 1943. GERMANY.
Joseph H. Wilfred Roux was born on the 30th of July in 1921, the eldest son and second child of Oscar & Eva (Roy) Roux. He attended local schools, reportedly graduating from St. George’s Grammar School, and in his senior year at Central High when he left to enlist in the Airforce (October 1940).
As soon as WWII started it was recognized that U-boats posed a serious threat to the US East coast and in response the Army converted a number of bomber squadrons to an anti-submarine role and eventually organized them formally as Anti-submarine Squadrons. By 1943 Joseph Roux was a member of the US Army’s 4th Anti Sub Squadron, that flew out of St Eval in Cornwall, England and later from Dunkeswell in Devon, England. The 479th ASG moved to Dunkeswell on the 6th August 1943.
On September 8, 1943, S/Sgt. Joseph H.W. Roux was among a crew on a B-24 of the 479th, 4th A.S. Squadron that failed to return from patrol. They had met action over the Bay of Biscay, and on 11 September three survivors were rescued from a dinghy, but Joseph Roux was not among them. He, along with the other men listed below, perished that day, and received the posthumous award of Purple Heart.
–Killed In Action, 8 September 1943, Bay of Biscay–
1st.Lt.E.I.Finneburgh.
1st.Lt.N.J.Evensen.
T.Sgt.W.H.Hulen.
T.Sgt.T.L.Sutton.
T.Sgt.L.Helton.
Sgt.L.A.Footh.
S.Sgt.J.H.W.Roux.
Marker request for Joseph Roux by his father Oscar in 1958.
Joseph Roux’s Military Square plaque is erroneous in that it indicates he died in Germany. The records seem clear that he along with most of his crew mates were killed over the Bay of Biscay. Joseph’s body was not recoverable, but in 1958 his father, Oscar, requested an official military marker, that was placed to honor his memory in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Manchester, New Hampshire. In addition there is a marker in Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Coton, Cambridgeshire, England.
=====PARTIAL GENEALOGY of Joseph Roux=====
Honore Roux, son of Honore & Adeline (Lafond) Roux, b 19 May 1872 in Plessisville, Megantic, PQ, Canada. He married 9 Feb 1891 to Florine/Florina St. Hilaire. He also married Laura Beauchesne.
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Children of Honore & Florine (St. Hilaire) Roux:
1. son
2. + Oscar Roux, b. 6 Oct 1895 in Plessisville, Megantic, PQ Canada
Child of Honore & Laura (Beauchesne) Roux:
3. daughter
Oscar Roux, son of Honore & Florida/Florina (St. Hilaire) Roux, b 6 October 1895 [per his WWI Draft registration] Victoriaville/Placeville/Plessisville, Megantic, PQ, died December 1969 in NH; m. 5 April 1920 in Manchester NH to Eva Roy, daughter of Joseph & Emilien/Emilia (Bergeron) Roy. She b. abt 1896 Manchester NH, and d. 26 May 1970. He was a mill worker. In 1917 working for Stark Mills of Manchester NH.
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1930 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 91 West Bridge Street
Oscar J. Roux M 35 Canada Can Maine immigrated 1915 naturalized, dresser, cotton mill
Eva Roux F 34 NH Can-Fr Can-Fr wife
Rita E. Roux F 9 NH daughter
Wilfred H. Roux M 8 NH son
Roland A. Roux M 6 NH
Roger R. Roux M 0 NH
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1940 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 522 Chestnut Street
Oscar J. Roux M 45 Canada
Eva Roux F 44 NH wife
Rita H. Roux F 19 NH daughter
*Wilfred H. Roux M 18 NH son
Roland A. Roux M 16 NH
Roger R. Roux M 10 NH
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Children of Oscar & Eva (Roy) Roux:
1. Rita Helen Roux, b. abt 1920; m. 27 April 1946 in Manchester NH to Daniel Paul Whitmore, son of Arthur & Mary (Murphy) Whitemore. He was b. 27 March 1917 and d. 25 Nov 2002; buried St. Joseph Cemetery
2. **Joseph H. Wilfred Roux b. 30 July 1921 Manchester NH
3. Roland A. Roux, b.13 May 1923 and d. 31 March 2002, buried Mt. Calvary Cemetery; PFC US ARMY WORLD WAR II; 81 Bow Street Manchester NH
4. Roger Romeo Roux b 1929, baptized 14 July 1929 St. George’s Manchester NH; d. 30 March 1977 in Manchester NH; married 24 Nov 1956 to Marie A. Deraleau-Perrault, dau of Robert Deraleau. She was b. 21 Nov 1928 in MA and d. 1 Feb 2004. 4 children, 2 girls and 2 boys.
NOTE: I would be deeply grateful if any relatives who have more information and/or a photograph of Joseph H. W. Roux would contact me through this blog.
[Editor’s Note: This article is one of several I have written at the request of Don Pinard, Department of Public Works, Chief of Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Division, City of Manchester, New Hampshire. It is a volunteer project (on my part) to better record and share the stories of the men memorialized by the city’s “Military Squares.” All the information specifically within the body of this project is shared copyright free with the City of Manchester and its representatives, with the exception of photographs provided by family or friends who still retain whatever rights conveyed to them by law.]
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I help to run Dunkeswell Memorial Museum the home base of S/Sgt Joseph H Roux killed in action on the 8th September 1943. Here is our museum website address http://dmm103105110.btck.co.uk It was very nice to see a Memorial marker like this one at Manchester.
David Sharland