Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Group Photo – Albert Victor Rowles and Sarah Rowles Regina, SK Source: Agnes May Cox Family Albert Victor Rowles ventured from England to Canada in April 1910 on the S.S. Lake Erie and made the journey again on the S.S. Tunisian in March 1913. He settled in Regina, Saskatchewan, where he sought carpentry work and awaited the arrival of his English fiancée, the widowed Sarah Pearce (maiden surname Simpkins). Sarah emigrated from London, England, to Canada on the S.S. Victorian in June 1913 with two teenage children, Agnes May and Frank Pearce, and reached Regina about three months after Albert. They married soon afterward.

Group Photo – Albert Victor Rowles in his C.E.F. uniform with Sarah Rowles Regina, SK (1916) Source: Agnes May Cox Family In spite of his age, Albert Rowles enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in April 1916 after less than three years of marriage to Sarah (Simpkins) Pearce.

Attestation Papers – Attestation Paper – front Source: Library & Archives Canada, 14 Oct 2014

Attestation Papers – Attestation Paper – back Source: Library & Archives Canada, 14 Oct 2014 When Albert Victor Rowles signed his attestation paper in Regina, Saskatchewan, on 27 April 1916, he was a 39-year-old married labourer and had served three years in the 20th Hussars in England from 1892-95.

Record of Service – Source: National Archives of Canada, 26 Mar 1998 On 11 November 1916, Albert Victor Rowles arrived in England on the Empress of Britain and was taken on strength in the 32nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Sandwich, Kent, as Acting Sergeant. On 28 November he was transferred to the 37th Battalion at Shoreham, Sussex, and on 18 December to the 1st Canadian Labour Battalion at Shoreham. He was sent overseas on 8 January 1917 and confirmed as Sergeant in the field when he arrived in France on 11 January 1917. Although he was not considered fit for duty in the trenches, no doubt because of his age, and worked on building railways behind the lines, he was killed on 6 September 1917.

Circumstance of death – Circumstances of Death Source: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/mass-digitized-archives/circumstances-death-registers/Pages/item.aspx?PageID=84013 Transcription: At about 8.30 o'clock on the morning of September 6th 1917, Albert Victor Rowles was with a working party building Broad Guage[sic] Railway and gun spurs South of ZILLEBEKE LAKE, and West of HILL 60. The area was under fairly heavy shell fire, and he was hit in the thigh and small of the back by shell fragments. He died on the way to No.72 Field Ambulance about fifteen minutes after being hit and never spoke or regained consciousness during that time.

War Diary – War Diary of the 1st Infantry Works Bn (formerly 1st Labour Battalion) Source: http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e059/e001461642.jpg Report of Death and Temporary Burial of Sgt. A. V. Rowles Transcription: Place: CHATEAU des TROIS TOURS – B.28. CENTRAL – SHEET 28 ¼0000 BELGIUM & FRANCE Date: 6 9/17 2 officers and 231 O.R. working in daytime as per 5-9-17 907950 Sgt Rowles. A.V. killed – Hostile shell fire – Body left at MAIN DRESSING STATION, WOODCOTE HOUSE (I 20, C A.3 Sheet 28 ¼0000) 3rd Australian Field Ambulance for Burial - . . . Date: 7 9/17 907950 Sgt. ROWLES A.V. buried GUNNERS LODGE – (GRAVE – SERIAL NO. 392) SHEET 28 – I26 63.1. . . .

Grave marker – Gravestone in Bedford House Cemetery Source: http://twgpp.org/information.php?id=3142275 Photograph and details by volunteer/s: TWGPP Volunteer/David Milborrow Sergeant Albert Victor Rowles was buried in Bedford House Cemetery, Enclosure No. 4, in Grave 4, Plot 2, Row D, at Zillebeke, Belgium, one mile south of Ypres. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, and his widow received the Memorial Cross GRV (King George V).

Memorial Card – Memorial Card printed by Sarah Rowles Source: Family archives Albert Rowles was very kind to his wife Sarah during their three years of marriage, and she was heartbroken when he was killed. Her son by her first husband died in France in November 1918. She lived on her own in Regina until her death in 1946.

Entrance

Cemetery

Cross of Sacrifice

Grave Marker