The AIF Project

William Alfred ROWE

Regimental number3598
Place of birthCalifornia Gully via Bendigo, Victoria
SchoolCalifornia Gully State School, Victoria
ReligionMethodist
OccupationGrocer's assistant
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation27
Height5' 4"
Weight120 lbs
Next of kinMrs Clara Rowe, Bailey Street, California Gully, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date9 July 1915
Place of enlistmentBendigo, Victoria
Unit name21st Battalion, 8th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/38/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A64 Demosthenes on 29 December 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll60th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFromelles, France
Age at death from cemetery records28
Place of burialRue David Military Cemetery (Plot III, Row D, Grave No 2), Fleurbaix, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
170
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Commemorated in Eaglehawk Cemetery, Victoria. Photo: Peter Dennis. Parents: Clara (d. 5 December 1938, aged 69; bu. Eaglehawk) and the late William (d. 6 July 1912, aged 53; bu. Eaglehawk) ROWE. Native of California Gully, Bendigo, Victoria
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength, 60th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 26 February 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Reported Missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 2370502, 3468 Pte J. BROWN, C Company, 60th Bn (patient, 3rd Southern General Hospital, Drill Hall, City Buildings, Oxford, England), 2 November 1916: 'Informant states that on July 19th. 1915 at V.C. Sap below Armentieres. Pte. rowe went over the parapet at 5 p.m. and was probably killed. Informant and another had volunteered for despatch carrying under fire; their places in Platoon XI. were filled by Pte. Rowe and Pte. Penaluna from pl. (sic) X. or XII. Pte. Rowe Rowe and Pte. Penaluna were told to stick by Lieut. Simpson (afterwards slightly wounded) in case of sending back messages. Informant saw Pte. Rowe with the rest of the Company go over the top 3 mins. later.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, ROWE William Alfred
Red Cross File No 2370502

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