Rowney Family Tree

Dick was born in 1892 at Elsternwick (Vic), in Melbourne (Vic). His birth was registered in Caulfield (Vic).

Dick served with the Australian Imperial Forces during the Great War. He appears to have formally enlisted (No. 1095) in Melbourne on 6th April 1915, however he signed his application form on 17 Feb 1915 and his medical examination seems to have also taken place on that earlier date. He was described as 23 years and 2 months old, 5' 4" high, weighing 10 st, chest 34/37 in, with a dark complexion, dark brown hair, and hazel eyes. He had scar under his right eye and a scar on his right shoulder. He was working as a baker at that time. His mother Elizabeth ROWNEY was named as his next-of-kin and her address was 27 Master Street in Caulfield.

Dick began his military training on 1 May 1915 with the 22nd Battalion Depot, probably at Royal Park in Melbourne. He sailed from Melbourne on 8 May 1915 for overseas service aboard the HMAT "Ulysses". It seems that many of Dick's early war records have been lost, so not much is known in detail of his early military service, however from what records remain it appears that he arrived at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli beachead on 30 Aug 1915 and initially fought with 'A' Company of the 22nd Battalion AIF in the 6th Brigade. Two months later, on 30 Oct 1915, Dick was admitted to 6th Field Ambulance at Anzac Cove suffering from diarrhoea. He was embarked aboard the Hospital Ship "Glenart Castle" on the same day. Dick was admitted to the 19th General Hospital in the city of Alexandria in Egypt on 31 Oct 1915 where he was diagnosed with enteric fever. His address indicates that he was attached to 'D' Company in 21st Battalion by this time. He was transferred to the 21st General Hospital in Alexandria on 6 Nov 1915. On 4 Dec 1915 he was transferred to the No.3 Auxilliary Hospital at Heliopolis in Egypt with enteric fever. On 9 Dec 1915, Dick was transferred to a Convalescent Camp at Port Said. On 3 Jan 1916 he sailed from Suez aboard the HMAT "Ulysses" as an invalid bound for Australia for a 3 month "change".

Dick arrived back in Melbourne on 5 Feb 1916 still reportedly suffering from enteric fever. After Medical Board proceedings he was ordered to return to duty by a memo from the Commandant of the 3rd Military District on 20 Mar 1916. On 22 Mar 1916, Dick appears to have been required to re-enlist in the Army (No. 1981) at Broadmeadows (Vic). He was again medically examined and certified as fit for active service on 30 Mar 1916 at Broadmeadows. His War Service record claims that he was re-attested due to the loss of his original attestation papers. He seems to have been attached to the Overseas Company at that time.

Dick sailed for overseas service again on 1 May 1916 aboard the A17 "Port Lincoln". He arrived at Suez, Egypt, on 10 Jun 1916 as part of the 2nd reinforcement for the 60th Battalion AIF. He was taken on strength by 5th Division Detatchment on 9 Jul 1916 at Tel el Kebir in Egypt. He embarked at the port of Alexandria aboard the H.T "Francois" on 2 Aug 1916 and on 8 Aug 1916 arrived at the port of Marsailles in southern France. Here he was given the rank of acting corporal without pay and transferred to the nominal roll of 15th Training Battalion. On 21 Aug 1916 he appears to have arrived in England and began training at 26 Camp Larkhill. On 30 Dec 1916, Dick briefly reverted to the rank of private before he was formally promoted to corporal in 15th Training Battalion on 24 Jan 1917. He attended a course of instruction at the Southern Command Bombing School between 12 - 24 Feb 1917 where he qualified as an instructor in bomb throwing.

On 19 Jun 1917, Dick sailed to Le Havre in France from the English port of Southampton. He also ceased duty on permanent cadre with 15th Training Battalion on his departure. On 22 Jun 1917 Dick was marched out of the Australian Imperial Base Depot at Le Havre to join his unit in the field. He was taken on strength by 60th Battalion now as part of the 3rd reinforcement on 28 Jun 1917. Dick was promoted in the field to the rank of sergeant on 4 Oct 1917.

On 13 Oct 1917 Dick was admitted sick in the field to the West Lancashire Field Ambulance. He was transferred to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne on 14 Oct 1917 where he was diagnosed with laryngitis. On 22 Oct 1917 he was moved to the 7th Convalescent Depot in Boulogne. He was shifted to the 18th Convalescent Depot in Boulogne on 26 Oct 1917 and then passed to the 10th Conv. Depot at Ecoult on 30 Oct 1917 and the 13th Conv. Depot at Trouville on 3 Nov 1917, before finally being hospitalised again at the 8th General Hospital at Buchy. With his laryngitis apparently still inflamed Dick was embarked on the Hospital Ship "Saint Patrick" on 17 Feb 1918 and sent back to England. He arrived at the 2nd Southern General Hospital in the port of Bristol the following day and was admitted diagnosed with a "slight" case of laryngitis. On 26 Mar 1918 he was transferred to the 3rd Auxilliary Hospital at Dartford. From hospital Dick was sent on leave from 12 Apr 1918 until 26 Apr 1918, then he was ordered to report back for duty at No.3 Command Depot at Hurdcott. After arriving back at Hurdcott he was marched out to the Overseas Training Brigade based at the Sandhill Camps at Longbridge Deverill on 4 May 1918.

Dick returned to France via the port of Folkstone on 22 May 1918 and arrived at the A.I.B.D. at Le Havre on 24 May 1918. On 26 May 1918 he was marched out to rejoin 60th Battalion in the field, arriving on 2 Jun 1918. On 25 Sep 1918 Dick was transferred from 60th Battalion to the 59th Battalion in the field. The 60th Battalion had been ordered to disband on the 24 Sep 1918 along with six others to provide replacements for the remaining battalions. All the battalions named except for the 60th refused to obey their orders to disband. Just a few days before, on 14 Sep 1918, the 59th Battalion itself had been involved in another very controversial incident near Peronne when the officers and men of three exhausted platoons refused to re-enter the front line when ordered to do so. Usually treated harshly as mutineers or deserters the men in these cases were treated as 'strikers' and negotiations quickly defused the situation and no-one was punished. A few days later in another Australian battalion 118 men we found guilty of desertion for a similar act of disobedience when they refused to re-enter the line. Dick remained at the front with the 59th Battalion until the war ended on 11 Nov 1918.

Due to his status as "1915 personnel" Dick was allowed to return to England on 10 Jan 1919 and begin the process of returning to Australia. He departed the Australian Base in France on 17 Jan 1919 and arrived at No.1 Command Depot at Sutton Verry in England the following day. On 19 Feb 1919 Dick was transferred to the 2nd Training Brigade at Lodford. Dick finally sailed for Australia from Devonport on 21 Mar 1919 aboard the "Kildonian Castle". He arrived home on 7 May 1919 and was marched into the 3rd Military District. He was discharged from the Army on 6 Jul 1919 with the rank of sergeant. He received his war service medals on 29 Dec 1920.

Dick married Melvina KENNEDY in 1928. He was around 36 years of age at that time, and Malvina was about 37 years old. She had possibly been married before, and was reportedly known by the name "Ken". Dick and Ken don't appear to have had any children together.

Dick had an athletic career with the Melbourne Harriers Club and was a cross country runner and a walker. In the 1960's the "L.T.Rowney Perpetual Memorial Trophy" was presented in his name. The trophy was given for the best aggregate score for the Cross Country season. Scoring was calculated by a point system based on the position the person finished in each race through the season, and bonus points for attendance etc. In some ways it was similar to a Best and Fairest trophy.

Dick died at Heidelberg (Vic) in 1965 at the age of 73. He may have died at the war veteran's hospital there.

Ken died in 1982 at Caulfield.