ROWE, John Thomas


No.8826, Private, John Thomas ROWE
Aged 26


2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
Died of his Wounds on 24th October 1914


John Thomas Rowe was born in Bury St.Edmunds(4th qtr 1888 Bury St.Edmunds 4a:687) son of George Thomas and Sarah Ann ROWE (née BYFORD). His mother had married George Thomas ROWE in 1887.
Some confusion is possible as CWGC have his age as 33. There are several possible John Thomas Rowe in the area, but this man here ticks all the boxes.

1891 census...Aged 3, he was at Sharp's Lane, Horringer with his father (George) Thomas ROWE [36] farm labourer; his mother Sarah A [35]; sister Ellen [1 month]; half sisters Mary A BYFORD [10] and Elizabeth [7] born Bury St.Edmunds. All except his half sister Elizabeth and John himself were born in Horringer.

1901 census...Aged 12, he was at The Street, Horringer with his parents (father working in gravel pit); sister Emma [8] born Horringer and cousin George H BYFORD [14] farm labourer born Bury St.Edmunds.

He enlisted in the Army on 25th October 1904

1911 census...He has not been found in this census. The 2nd Worcesters were in India. His parents were in Horringer, mother had lost 1 of her 3 children.
His father died later in 1911

On the pension card his mother was at Flint Cottage, Horringer


He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds and died of wounds at No.4 Field Ambulance, Ypres.
The 2nd Worcesters war diary 24th October:-
"Marched via St JULIEN -WIELTJE -St JEAN to HALTE where we went into bivouacs for the very short time of 20 minutes. Orders were then received to fall in and move due East via HOOGE as the Germans had broken through the line and got into the forest one mile north of GHELUVELDT.
We advanced into the forest with the Highland L.I. on our right - of course it was impossible to keep track and units became hopelessly scattered and got mixed up and were undoubtedly firimg on each other. It was impossible to know what to do. The enemy were in strength and were expected to push on. We had five officers hit and heavy casualties amongst N.C.O.s and men
By some chance we managed to link up with the right of the Scots Guards (21st Bde), and continued our line facing NE. We then dug ourselves in and remained in trenches during the night."


Normally with no service record, and dying of wounds, it is impossible to state where or when a man was wounded, but dying at a Field Ambulance means the most probable answer for John is the action above.



photo CWGC
Prospective visitors should be advised that there are also a larger number of CWGC graves in the adjoining Ypres Town Cemetery Extension

John Rowe is buried in Ypres Town Cemetery A:3.5

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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