WALTER HENRY WILLIAM ROWSTHORN
Regimental number
4925
Religion
Methodist
Occupation
Farmer
Address
Riana South, Tasmania
Marital status
Single
Age at embarkation
33
Next of kin
Father, Mr W Rowsthorn, South Riana, Tasmania
Enlistment date
13 September 1915
Rank on enlistment
Private
Unit name
12th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number
23/29/4
Embarkation details
Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on 18 February 1916
Rank from Nominal Roll
Private
Unit from Nominal Roll
12th Battalion
Fate
Killed in Action 06-10 April 1917
Place of burial
No known grave
Commemoration details
Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground (Hill 104) behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.
The Australian National Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra.
On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10.885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours.
After the war an appeal in Australia raised €22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns.
Panel number, Roll of Honour, 67
Australian War Memorial
Other details
War service: Western Front
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
© 2010
Copyright The AIF Project, UNSW@ADFA,2008
From The Weekly Courier 10th May 1917:
ROWSTHORN, WALTER HENRY WILLIAM
Born 6th February 1882 Evandale Tasmania the son of William and Rebecca Rowsthorn (nee Aitken) a farmer he embarked Melbourne 18th February 1916 on board "HMAT Ballarat" with the 12th Infantry Battallion.
He was a sergeant in the Penguin Light Horse before he enlisted.
He was killed in action 6th April 1917 in France and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France.
Reverend WT Abbott had the painful task recently of conveying to Mr and Mrs W Rowsthorn Penguin of the death of their son Lance Corporal Walter Rowsthorn between April 6th and 10th. The deceased soldier was for years in the A.L.H. Penguin troop and saw some 14 months service in Europe. He was greatly esteemed by his comrades and friends.
