Samuel Rowland - Link to Bo'ness

Private Samuel Rowland. Authors image

127311 Private, 9th Battalion Machine Gun Corps, 9th (Scottish) Division.

Age: 25

Date of death: 25.4.18

Buried: La Clytte Military Cemetery V.F.8

Family history: Only son of David and Mary Sandilands Rowland, they also had a daughter. The family had lived in Bo’ness for many years before moving to Glasgow before the war. Samuel was an apprentice at the Royal Bank of Scotland in Bo’ness and when the family moved to Glasgow he became a cashier in a branch in the city. He enlisted in the Highland Light Infantry and transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) and he undertook training at Belton Park near Grantham before he joined the 9th Battalion.

In 1918, the Machine Gun Companies of the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) on the Western Front were organised under Divisional Command, rather than Brigade, and Machine Gun Battalions were formed to co-ordinate them. They were then provided with their own chain of command and under the co-ordination of the Divisional Machine Gun Officer. Vickers Machine Gun

Action leading to his death

The 9th (Scottish) Division was involved in the Second Battle of Kemmel Ridge. The 9th Battalion had their HQ in Reninghelst which was being continually shelled. On the 22 April the Battalion relieved the 4th and 11th Battalions and took over the line near Bois Carre. ‘B’ Company had their guns in the Vierstraat line south of Desinet Farm. ‘A’ Company at Vandenberghe Farm and Vandamme Farm. Four guns were also placed between Irish House and Lagache Farm. Information had been received by the Division from German prisoners that the enemy planned to make an attack on the line between Mount Kemmel and Mount Des Cats on the 25 April. At 2.30am the enemy attack opened with heavy shelling and with a great concentration of gas shells mingled in and they also employed a large amount of smoke shells to add to the confusion and causing poor visibility for the machine guns.

Trench map showing the front line at 13 May 1918

The bombardment went on all day. At 2pm the Battalion was advised that the line now ran approximately from Grand Bois/Vierstraat/Cheapside/Beaver Corner and that the French occupied the line Scherpenberg - La Clytte – Millekruisse to the right of the British. Battalion casualties from the fighting were Officers 4 killed, 8 wounded, 1 wounded and missing, and 2 missing. Other Ranks 16 killed, 77 wounded, 8 wounded (gassed), 2 died of wounds, 7 wounded and missing. Samuel died of his wounds and was buried on the battlefield and his body was exhumed and reburied here after the Armistice.