ROWE, Roland James Cameron
| Service Number: | 2423 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 June 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Dry Creek, South Australia, 7 August 1894 |
| Home Town: | Gepps Cross, Port Adelaide Enfield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Brick Layer |
| Died: | Post War Injuries, Adelaide, South Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2423, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 13 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2423, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2423, 2nd Pioneer Battalion |
Help us honour Roland James Cameron Rowe's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography
Roland James Cameron Rowe
Roland Rowe from Gepps Cross, enlisted to join the Australian Imperial Force on the 29th of June, 1915, at the age of 20. He was ranked a Private in the 27th battalion, 5th reinforcement division and together with his unit left for Egypt on the HMAT BALLARAT on the 14th September, 1915. Shortly after arriving, Roland and his unit were sent to Gallipolli and by this late stage in the campaign they were faced with immediate threats from poor hygiene, diseases, lack of fresh food and water. However, in the early weeks of December his unit evacuated the Gallipoli Peninsula. They returned to Egypt for only a short period before proceeding to France, in the Western Front as part of the 2nd Australian Division. His unit embarked for Marsielles, and on the 7th April, 1916 he began fighting in the front line trenches. His first major battle was at Pozieres between 28th July and 5th August. He also took part in two major attacks to the east of Fleurs in the Somme Valley. Roland and his unit also played a significant role in pushing the Germans to defeat with their withdrawal to the Hindenburg line in early 1917. On the 10th June he was involved in the attack of Morlancourt and on the 4th July took part in the battle of Hamel. He was in the first wave of the battle of Ameins taking place on the 8th August where his unit seized 9 artillery pieces, 25 machine guns and captured over 200 prisoners. Victory was gained on the 4th October, 1917 when his unit captured the Broodseinde Ridge, in Belgium. His last actions of war to be acknowledged was during the first week of October, 1918 where he also took part in the efforts to break through the Beaurevoir Line, in France. Following the success on the Western Front, Roland married Annie Turnbull Rutherford from Gosforth, England on the 31st December, 1918. At the end of WW1 Roland returned to Australia on the 8th February, 1920 with his wife Annie and 3 month old daughter, Dorothy. He received 3 medals, the British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Star Medal in recognition of his efforts during WW1. My great, great grandfather, Roland Rowe was one of the lucky ones that made it home.
Click images to start slideshow.