Private David Rowan
David Rowan was born on 26 November 1890 in Antrim Street, Lisburn, County Antrim, the first of five children of carter James Rowan and his wife Ellen Jane (née Chambers). His mother died when he was just thirteen years old. On 14 December 1910 he married Ellen Peel in the Clifton Street Presbyterian United Free Church in Belfast. The couple had two children over the following five years.
By the time of the 1911 Census, David was living at Ravernet Town, near Lisburn, with his wife and her parents, and working as a grocer's carter.
Rowan enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 16 and 18 November 1915 (No.1911 – later Corps of Hussars No.71633). He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp before embarking for France sometime between 1916 and 1918, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment. This regiment served as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps from its establishment in May 1916 until February-March 1918, when it was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war.
On 28 February 1919 Rowan was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
By 1952 Rowan was living with his wife at Magherageery, County Down, and working as a labourer. He died in the Lagan Valley Hospital on 2 May that year and was buried in the Glebe Churchyard.