More about John Nevo Rowan

John died of Pneumomia. For reasons unknown this man is not listed on the original Dundee Roll of Honour.

John Nevo Rowan, formally of Dundee and lately the Manager of the Western Hotel in Durham. He was 46 years of age and had previously seen service in the Volunteer Force, he rapidly rose the promotion ladder and was appointed the officers mess catering Sergeant.

Sergeant Rowan had contracted tonsillitis, which in its self is not fatal, but pneumonia set in and this resulted in him being sent to hospital at Armstrong College, Newcastle, which was in use as a military hospital. He was there on 21 May 1915 that Sgt Rowan passed away.

His funeral took place the following Tuesday and was reported in the local press as ‘an impressive spectacle’. A party of 26 officers, NCO’s and men of the 21st Battalion travelled from Alnwick by train to Durham to take part in the funeral proceedings. The party included Lieutenant Buskie and members of the Warrant Officers and Sgt’s mess, including Sgt Major Hodson, RQMS Stanley, CQMS Burton and Sgt’s McDonald, Fraser, Pattison and Swindon.

The interment took place at St. Bedes R.C. cemetery, Redhills, Durham and the Reverend Father Rowan, the deceased mans brother, conducted the service. On completion of the service, a firing party fired three volleys over the grave and a bugler played the Last Post, before the party fixed bayonets and marched from the burial ground.

The coffin bore the simple inscription “John Nevo Rowan, Died 21 May 1915 – aged 46”

“THE TYNESIDE SCOTTISH” by John Sheen, page 61.