John Harold Rowell was born on 16th April 1915 at Lockleys, South Australia, Australia. He was the son of Harold Rowell and Elsie Hammer. [1]
He served in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force during the Second World War; enlisted 13th January 1943. [2] He was a soldier in the 2/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion, 9th Division. [3]
John became one of the famous Rats of Tobruk and also later fought at El Alamein.
In 1943 the division was pulled out of northern Africa and deployed to New Guinea. The 2/32nd was particularly involved near Finschhafen and the defence of Pabu.
John was one of 25 men killed and 51 wounded from the battalion during the days 20th to 26th November (whilst 195 Japanese were counted deceased). John Harold Rowell's name is located at panel 60 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. [4][5] [6]
Private John Harold Rowell died on 26 Nov 1943 and was buried in the Lae War Cemetery and Memorial, Lae, Papua New Guinea. [7]
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Categories: Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Adelaide, South Australia | Rats of Tobruk, World War II | Anzacs, World War II | 2nd 32nd Infantry Battalion, Australian Army, World War II | Lockleys, South Australia | Wayville, South Australia | Lae War Cemetery and Memorial, Lae, Papua New Guinea | Killed in Action, Australia, World War II