Private Charles Edward Rowland’s Headstone
Charles had emigrated to Australia in 1908 but like many he volunteered to fight – he had served four years with the Suffolk Militia back in the UK.
He had only been in France since January 1917 and in the front line less than a month before he was killed by shell fire on 14th February.
He is buried in The Cite Bonjean Military cemetery, Armentieres.
His personal effects were sent to his sister, Jane Senton, in Bramford.
The receipt for Charles’s kit – signed by his sister.
Charles is my great-uncle on my father’s side. We have his full army record. What is amazing is that my sister also emigrated to Australia, to Brisbane, and on Anzac day went to the war memorial in the city – and there was Charles’ name on the memorial. What is sad is that Charles joined the army in 1916 and spent most of his time travelling aboard the ship back to England, where he spent a few months training (and ill) before spending barely a month in France before he was killed.