George Henry Rowe
1891-1918
In Memory
of
Left to Right: George Henry Rowe, Albert James Rowe and William Thomas Rowe
Biography
On 5 March 1891, Private George Henry Rowe was born in Smith Township, Ontario. His parents, John James Rowe and Susanna Rowe, already had two sons. They’d eventually have three daughters as well. He became, like his father before him, a farmer in Peterborough. George Rowe, along with his brother, William Thomas Rowe, joined the Canadian Army on the first of November, 1915 at 25 and 29 years old. At this time, George had been married but had separated with his wife, Doris Brouse. At a height of 5’8, George was found fit for the army and assigned the number 195287. He would go on to train through the winter and spring at several different locations, finishing with Valcartier, Quebec. On 25 July 1916, George landed in Liverpool, England after departing from Halifax as a part of the 93rd Battalion on the SS Empress of Britain. By 24 September 1916, George had joined the 19th Battalion and was travelling to the front lines. Here, he would become a part of the regular rotations of trench goers and possibly fight in the Battle of Thiepval. George reported to No 18 Casualty Clearing Station with Influenza on 7 November 1916. Unable to treat him there, he was sent to No 13 General Hospital, Boulogne, France four days later. He was discharged as fit on 14 November 1916 and transferred from depot to depot until 12 December, when he joined the 2nd Canadian Entrenchment Battalion. Pte Rowe stayed with this Battalion until 5 March 1917. He then left to rejoin his previous Battalion, the 19th. Here, Pte George Henry Rowe’s life would drastically change. What started as the usual rotations quickly became new training on 22 March. The 19th Battalion was to be a part of the attack on Vimy Ridge. On 9 April, 5:30 am, George, under the 2nd Division and 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade, stormed south Vimy Ridge. He would be one of the 4 400 out of 15 000 who were relatively unwounded. His Battalion was then involved in both Hill 70 and Passchendaele. Shortly after Passchendaele, on 10 November 1917, George was admitted to No 1 Canadian Hospital, Étaples, France with trenchfoot. From that day until 30 May 1918, George was transferred between hospitals in England and several training facilities. He spent a period between 30 May and 23 June on field with the 19th Battalion but ultimately was transferred back into a reinforcement camp until 11 August. He returned to his battalion on the 12th. However, on 28 August 1918, George and his Battalion were wildly unsupplied, disorganised and tired, and would find themselves under heavy fire by German machine guns on the front lines. He was originally reported missing in action but later was declared dead. His location and date suggest that Pte Rowe died during the Second Battle of the Somme. George Henry Rowe is buried in Wancourt British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France on plot II. B. 20.. George is commemorated on page 494 in the First World War Book of Remembrance. This can be seen on the 20th of October.
Grave
George Henry Rowe was buried in Wancourt British Cemetery, on plot II. B. 20.
The cemetery is roughly 10 kilometres from Arras, France in Pas de Calais.
It was originally called Cojeul Valley Cemetery and was opened around the 22 April 1917.
In March of 1918, the Germans captured the area. It was in German hands until 26 August, just two days before Private George Rowe died.
Over the years, graves from smaller cemeteries in the surrounding areas were moved into Wancourt British Cemetery. Today, there are 1936 burials in the cemetery, with 829 unidentified.
While Pte Rowe's grave is identified, there is no special message written on it.
The 19th Battalion
The 19th Battalion, that which Pte Rowe served, was originally formed in Exhibition Park, Toronto on 6 November 1914. It transferred locations from Toronto to Shorncliffe, England in May of 1915 before relocating once again to France.
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The 19th Battalion is under the 2nd Division, as a part of the 4th Infantry Brigade.
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Throughout World War I, the 19th Battalion fought in the Pas de Calais area. These battles include:
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Pte Rowe wasn't in France at the time of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. However, he arrived at the battalion a mere two days before the Battle of Thiepval, and so it is possible that it was his first battle.
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Most notably, Pte Rowe fought at Vimy Ridge, and because he did not report to a hospital afterward, it is very likely he also fought at Hill 70 and Passchendaele.
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Both he and his brother fought in the First Battle of the Somme. It was his brother's first real battle and his last. William Thomas Rowe of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles died on 10 October 1916.
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George Henry Rowe would live to die in the Second Battle of the Somme.
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The Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge is an iconic battle, known for giving Canadian's an individuality from the British army.
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Germany had captured the hill early in the war, allowing for them to build a powerful defensive position there. The hill was covered in complex trench and manned with heavily armed and trained troops.
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All previous attempts to capture the hill were unsuccessful.
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This map shows where each battalion was during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge began on Easter Monday, 9 April 1917, at 5:30 a.m.. They advanced in what is called a 'Creeping Barrage'. While Canadian artillery slowly crept closer to the hill, infantry men would travel forward behind the artillery shells. This clouded the soldiers from view but also tricked the German troops into thinking the Canadians weren't about to attack.
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By noon, most of the hill would be captured.
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It took two days to capture the final defense, the Pimple. What British and French troops hadn't captured in three years, the Canadians had captured in three days.
Four Canadian soldiers received the Victoria Cross during the Battle of Vimy Ridge, a military decoration for valour.
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Almost 3600 Canadians died that day.
The entire Canadian army began preparation in Autumn of 1916. They built huge models of the German trenches, dug elaborate tunnel systems under the German's and began the artillery barrage a week before the actual attack, so the German troops wouldn't know when the real one was to come.
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This would become known as 'The Week of Suffering' by the Germans.
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Music During the Great War
World War I was a change in an era for music. The Romantic era of music was already dying out. The 20th century was marked for change.
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Many of the artists beloved in the previous era were dead or had lost their creative touch. For those striving to become the next Debussy (who died in Paris 1918), they were often enlisted into the war.
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Music that was created by enemy nations was kept out. Some, however, changed their names to better suit the country they performed in.
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This is not to say music died out during the Great War. Germany and Austria put together charity orchestras that traveled around their territory to bring relief.
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Phonographs --- a type of recorded music --- were sent as special gifts to soldiers on the front lines. Songs like It's a Long Way to Tipperary allowed soldiers to connect back to their homes.
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With so many musicians in the ranks, it wasn't uncommon for makeshift instruments to be made. Higher ranking officers were even known to have shows put on for them.
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Even the less musically inclined were known for singing in the trenches. Lyrics from songs they knew or newly written songs were printed and distributed to the battalions.
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Much of the music being written at the time was propaganda meant encourage young men to enlist, such as Your King and Country Want You.
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Notably, songs were often parodied or changed the more they were sung in the trenches. Songs that were happy became dreary ballads of lost friends or mockeries of the German troops. Or simply enough, words were forgotten and tunes tweaked.
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Historical Fiction
Based on the research done on George Henry Rowe and the lives of soldiers during WWI, two pieces of historical fiction have been written as letters.
