Private William Rowan
241699 1/5th East Lancashire Regiment C Coy
Lived at 58 New Hall Street
Attested 1915, age 19

I was looking through your unidentified photographs and Number One in particular. I have conferred with my cousins who are the Granddaughter and Grandson of the soldier sitting cross legged second from the right and he is William Rowan. We are all convinced that it is him.

04.08.1914 Stationed at Burnley as part of the East Lancashire Brigade of the East Lancashire Division and then moved to Chesham Fold Camp, Bury.

10.09.1914 Mobilised for war and embarked for Gallipoli from Southampton via Alexandria to defend the Suez Canal.

26.05.1915 Formation became the 126th Brigade of the 42nd Division.

10.05.1915 Landed at Gallipoli and the Division made three attempts to break through the Helles bridgehead and capture the village of Krithia, fighting at the Battle of Krithia Vineyard.

29.12.1915 Evacuated to Mudros due to heavy casualties from combat, disease and severe weather.

17.01.1916 Moved to Alexandria and engaged in various actions including; The Battle of Romani (4-5 August 1916).

Mar 1917 Moved to France and engaged in various actions on the Western Front including, The Third Battle of Ypres.
During 1918.

I do know that Willie served in Galipolli and in France as he often conferred with my grandfather who also fought in those campaigns. At some point Willie was wounded in France in his wrist. A Canadian surgeon convinced the British surgeon that he could save his hand as the British one wanted to cut his hand off. He did succeed and Willie always wore a leather wrist strap the rest of his life.

(Courtesy of George Coppock)