Rowland Auriol James Beech

 

Regiment:  16th (The Queens) Lancers

Jim Rowland was a 27 year old Lieutenant serving with the 16th Hussars when he was killed on 21 February 1915 at Hooge in the Ypres Salient.
Born in 1888 he was one of four children who lived with their parents Rowland and Adelaide at Brandon House near Coventry. Educated at Eton and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the 16th Hussars stationed at Cavalry Barracks, Norwich. On the outbreak of war he was at the Cavalry School, Netheravon, recalled to the Regiment, by 18 August he was in France. In action from the outset, the 16th Hussars were part of the cavalry screen locating the enemy, shielding the withdrawing infantry and holding key points. As autumn turned to winter and the trench warfare began to predominate, the 16th Hussars were increasingly used as dismounted infantry.