Charles Frederick Rowley was born in 1886 in Peckham, Surrey (now Greater London), the eldest of the twelve children of Charles William Rowley (1859-1934) and Alice Agnes Jessie Rowley, née Lynn (1861-1932). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1886 in the Camberwell Registration District, Surrey (now Greater London).
His eleven siblings were: Henry George Rowley (1888-1890); Amelia Rowley (1890-1969); Robert Thomas Rowley (1893-1947); Thomas Richard Rowley (b.1895); Arthur William Rowley (1897-1898); Frederick Alexander Rowley (1899-1899); George Christopher Rowley (1901-1901); William Edward Rowley (b.1902); Ernest John Rowley (1904-1904); Doris Winifred Rowley (1905-1907) and Leslie Albert Rowley (1908-1989).
In the 1891 census he was shown as Charles Rowley, aged 4 years and living at 16 Green Hundred Road, Peckham, London, with his parents and his sister Amelia Rowley. His father was described as a bricklayer's labourer.
On 26 August 1898 he was baptised at St Chrysostom's Church, Peckham Hill Street, Peckham, where in the baptismal register his family are shown to be living at 36 Blue Anchor Lane, Bermondsey, London, and that his father was a labourer.
The 1901 census shows him as Charles F. Rowley, a 14-year-old office boy still residing in two rooms within 36 Blue Anchor Lane, Rotherhithe, with his parents and his four surviving siblings: Amelia Rowley; Robert Thomas Rowley; Thomas Richard Rowley and George Christopher Rowley. His father continued to be listed as a bricklayer's labourer.
On 30 July 1903 he enlisted for a three year short service appointment in the army and on 2 August 1903 was posted to the 2nd Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, service number 7745. His attestation records show his religious denomination to be Wesleyan and that he was 5’4¼” tall. On 2 April 1904 he requested to extend his service to eight years, which was granted. He applied to be transferred to the 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment on 6 September 1905 for the purpose of proceeding to India where he served from 5 October 1905 to 22 February 1911. His service number was 8504. On 2 June 1908 he was appointed Lance Corporal (unpaid) and became a Lance Corporal (paid) on 26 October 1909.
The 1911 census shows him as aged 24 years and a Lance Corporal in the 2nd Battalion, West Riding Regiment, still single and living in a five roomed property at 142 Crystal Palace Road, East Dulwich, London, with his parents and his five surviving siblings: Amelia Rowley - a domestic servant; Robert Thomas Rowley; Thomas Richard Rowley - a grocer's errand boy: William Edward Rowley - at school and Leslie Albert Rowley. His father described himself as a bricklayer's labourer and that his wife had given birth to twelve children of which six were still alive.
He left the regiment and entered the Army Reserve on 15 May 1911 and in April 1913 he was appointed as a Postman in the London Western District Office.
On the outbreak of World War One, he was mobilized on 5 August 1914, rejoining the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. He was promoted to Corporal on 1 September 1914. He entered France on 30 November 1914 and whilst at North Shields, Northumberland, he was promoted twice, to Serjeant on 1 January 1915 and to Acting Company Quarter Master Serjeant on 16 January 1915. At some point he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion and subsequently transferred to the 8th Battalion on 25 November 1915. From March to May 1916 he saw service in Egypt. On 31 July 1916 he travelled from Folkestone to Boulogne, France.
He was killed in action, aged 30 years, on 28 September 1916 holding the rank of Company Serjeant Major. His army effects totalling £27-17s-6d were sent to his father on 7 August 1917 and on 8 March 1920 his £19-0s-0d war gratuity was also sent to his father.
His mother wrote to the War Office to ascertain the location of his grave and was told initially that he was buried 1 mile north of Courcelette and 4½ miles NNE of Albert, France, with a durable wooden cross to mark the spot. However the Commonwealth War Graves Commission list him as having no known grave and he is commemorated on Pier and Face 6A and 6B on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Rue de l'Ancre, 80300 Thiepval, France. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'ROWLEY, C. F.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website, on the London WW1 Memorial website, on the Royal British Legion's Every One Remembered website and on page 326 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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