Private John Thomas Rowley (1897-1915)

Service No: 16757Somerset Light Infantry 8^th Battalion

John Thomas Rowley was one of 12 children born to railway plate layer Henry King and his wife, Elizabeth. The birth places of the children show the family moved from Brewood to Tettenhall and then to Yardley before moving on to Sheldon, and then Castle Bromwich between 1891-3.

John was baptised at Castle Bromwich on 1st November 1897. On the 1901 and 1911 censuses the family was living at cottages at Buckland End, Castle Bromwich and Henry was working for the Midland Railway by 1911, whilst 13-year-old John was a farm labourer.

It’s known that John first entered a Theatre of War on 8th September 1915. He first saw action on 25^th September when as part of the Somerset Light Infantry 8^th Battalion he took part in the Battle of Loos.

The Battle of Loos was fought from 25 September until about 16 October 1915 in an area of coalmines and mining villages near the town of Lens, north of Arras. Six British divisions attacked strong German defences in support of French offensives to the south. It was the British army’s largest effort of the war to date with more than 75,000 men involved on the first day alone and the first time that the British had used poison gas. It was known at the time as “The Big Push.”

25 September 1915: morning
3.00 am: Weather reports now show conditions are likely to be less favourable; the wind is slowing and shifting to the South, although possibly improving after sunrise. Haig issues orders for the release of gas at 5.50am, with the infantry attack timed 40 minutes later.

5.50 am: Heavy British bombardment hits German front line defences and cloud gas is released. The gas forms a 30 to 50 feet high blanket, moving forward slowly in places, but is virtually standing still in the British assault positions in other areas.

6.00 am: A diversionary attack north of the La Bassee canal at Givenchy was launched. At first, the advancing battalions moved easily past well-cut wire and into the German front trench, which they found evacuated. Approaching the second line they were assailed by machine-gun fire and forced to take cover. Shortly after, they were counter-attacked. By 9.40am the survivors were back in their original trench.

6.30 am: All assaulting infantry units move out from front lines and move across no man’s land towards the enemy positions.

The 8^th Battalion formed part of the 63^rd Brigade, which was itself part of the 21^st Division. The 21^st Division was in the XI Corps commanded by Lt. General Richard Haking. 63rd Brigade had taken over the new front line around the southern edge of Bois Hugo. They had not however actually gone into the wood contenting themselves with placing one battalion on its eastern edge and another on the northern. The 64th Brigade were in support, behind them just to the north of Loos.

Lt General Richard Haking intended to carry out an assault across the open countryside towards the second German line at 1100 hours, a risky and dangerous plan as the land in this area was completely flat and devoid of cover. However, the Germans managed to thwart the plan by counter attacking through Bois Hugo itself. During the night small parties had infiltrated through it and Chalet Wood on its southern side.

As the mist cleared, the Germans opened fire on the troops on the eastern edge of the woods as well as attacking the those holding the line at Chalet Wood.  Seeing the situation on his front deteriorating Brigadier General Norman Nickalls ordered half of the 8th Bn Somerset light Infantry of which John Rowley was part to line the edge of the Chalk Pit facing Bois Hugo. By misunderstanding its orders, the 10th Bn York and Lancaster Regiment not only also advanced as far as Chalk Pit Wood to cover the road but went through it and lay down in the open. A message was sent to 64th Brigade to advance and provide support.

At 09.30 hours the German artillery fired on the 63rd Brigade’s trenches and thirty minutes later Germans were seen coming across the open ground. Shortly after the 14th Bn DLI of the 64^th Brigade arrived in support. Advancing towards the retreating men of the 63rd Brigade both parties mistook the other for Germans and began attacking one-another.

The soldiers lost direction and advanced up the slope of Hill 70 getting caught by severe flanking fire from the Germans in the two woods. The DLI fell back with heavy losses and wounded. The arrival of the 24th Division on their left served to rally the men of the 21st Division. Thinking that Hill 70 was back in the hands of the Germans they attacked up the slope towards those soldiers they could see — Scots in greatcoats with their smoke hoods on. It was ironic that the Scots would be saved by the German machine gunners who poured enfilading fire into the English as they advanced across their front and forced them back.

The directional error was then compounded; in a complete breakdown of command and control the 9th Bn charged across the main road and advanced up the northern slope of Hill 70 against the Scots. Action by the commanders managed to hold back half of the 10th Bn but the remainder joined in this amazing turn of events.

The Germans destroyed the attack and put an end to any possibility of the 21st Division taking further part in the battle.

At the end of the day 8,500 men of the British army had lost their lives. Casualties on 25 September were the worst yet suffered in a single day by the British army, including some 8,500 dead. John Rowley amongst them. He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, on the village war memorial at Castle Bromwich and on a war memorial plaque inside St Margaret’s and St Mary’s Church, Castle Bromwich. He is also remembered with a dedication on the family grave in Castle Bromwich graveyard.