James Ignatius Rowan

ROWAN, James Ignatius- – – – SPC 1898-1904

DoB:- – 22 May 1889

Father:- – James Rowan

Mother:- – Mary, nee Niall

Service No:- –

Rank:- – Captain, Doctor

Unit:- – AMC, 6th Field Ambulance

James Rowan enlisted on 8 September 1916. He was 29 years old, five feet, eight inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. He was a single man, whose occupation was medical practitioner.

Captain Rowan departed from Melbourne on 23 September 1916, and disembarked at Devonport, England on 14 November. He proceeded with his unit overseas to France on 5 December 1916, where he served for the next 11 months.

While he was on leave in England in November 1917, Captain Rowan was discovered to have defective vision. The proceedings of the Medical Board held on 3 December of that year found that,

-‘-¦ his vision without glasses is 3/60 Right and Left, and although glasses bring it almost to normal, he is unfit for GS [General Service]. Recommend -“ Australia. He is nervous and feeling anxious generally -¦ His eyesight is not good. He cannot see at night or with his gas mask on even with glasses -¦’

So, on 15 February 1918, Captain Rowan embarked from London aboard the Llanstephen Castle, and was struck off strength. He was discharged on 21 May 1918.

Back in Australia, James resumed his career as a medical practitioner. He married Mollie Brophy in 1920, and they lived at 175 Cotham Road Kew. Mollie and James had two sons; Noel who served in WWII, and Ian who became a dentist.

James Ignatius Rowan died on 30 December 1971, at the age of 84. He was buried at the Kew Cemetery.