ROWSELL, William Henry
| Service Number: | 595 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 August 1914, Enlisted at Randwick |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia, 7 January 1889 |
| Home Town: | North Sydney, North Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Conductor |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, 17th General Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt, 17 August 1915, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt Row K, Grave 7 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, North Sydney Tramways Pictorial Honour Roll, Port Macquarie Cenotaph, Telegraph Point Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 595, Enlisted at Randwick | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 595, 1st Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 595, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Sydney | |
| 11 Aug 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 595, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Severe gunshot wound to the head |
Help us honour William Henry Rowsell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of G H and Mary Jane Rowsell of Telegraph Point, Port Macquarie, NSW
PRIVATE WILLIAM HENRY ROWSELL
Private W. H. Rowsell (reported died of wounds) was 21 years of age and was born at Telegraph Point. He was a son of Geo. H. Rowsell who now resides in Kempsey. Private Rowsell went away with the 1st Battalion, and was in the employ of the Tramway service on the North Sydney lines.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
William Henry ROWSELL (Service Number 595) was born on 7th January 1889 in Port Macquarie. He began working with the NSW Tramways on 1st July 1912 as a conductor in Sydney. He remained in this position until 6th September 1914 when he was released from duty to enlist in the AIF. He was 25 when he enlisted. He embarked on 18th October 1914 from Sydney, on HMAT A19 ‘Afric’.
On 31st May 1915 he re-joined his Battalion at Gallipoli. After three months in the field, on 6th August, he was injured. He received a gunshot wound to the head and was admitted in Alexandria on 11th August 1915. The following day he was reported to be ‘dangerously ill’. He remained in this state for a week. He died of his wounds on 17th August 1915. He was buried in Chatby Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt.
On 11th September 1915, it was reported in ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’ that he had died of wounds.
Following his death, his father was sent some of his personal items, including a notebook, a pipe, a mirror, and some badges. He was also sent his son’s war medals, the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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