AveningHistory
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Private: Royal Army Medical Corps
The military machine is made up of many parts. Not all
airmen flew Spitfires or Sopwith Pups, and not all soldiers
were in the trenches or drove a tank. Some, through luck,
or health difficulties, were limited to back-room tasks like
the many men who served in the Royal Army Medical
Corps. Such was the case of Rowland Fowles. According
to press reports, he suffered from a deformed knee and
was thus not considered fit enough for front line service.
He was limited to hospital work and service to the many
men who would have been grateful for his assistance with
their suffering.
At some time during June 1918, Rowland contracted
pneumonia and, again from press reports, we learn that
despite all attention, he succumbed to the illness. His
father was informed on the 1st of July.
Rowland's grandfather, Frederick Fowles had married
Sarah Whiting in 1831 and had been a baker in
Cherington. He died in 1852 at the age of 46 and his wife,
unable to carry on the baking business, continued service
by opening a shop in Cherington to support her eight
children. The youngest of these was Rowland's father,
also named Rowland.
Rowland Senior continued a life of service and, for nearly
thirty years, was landlord of "The Butcher's Arms" on Point
Road, (now a private dwelling), and Rowland was born
there in 1889. He was preceded by an elder brother and
two sisters. The family were still in Point Road for the
1901 census although Rowland Senior was away in
Bethnal Green, London with his cousin, Edwin, who was a
corn merchant there. However, by the time of his son's
death, he and the remainder of the family had left Point
Road and were living on Tetbury Hill.
It was here that he would have received Rowland's two
medals and Memorial Plaque. The latter became known
by servicemen as “The Death Penny"!
We are indebted to Rowland's great niece for her
assistance and photographs.
See main website for futher images