Rowland Frank Eugene LOMAS
Year of Birth: 1884
Place of Birth: Balmain, New South Wales
Date of Enlistment: 13 January 1917
Date and Place of Embarkation: 14 June 1917, Sydney, New South Wales
Ship: HMAT Hororata A20
Rank: Private
Unit(s): 9th Infantry Battalion – 24 to 36 Reinforcements
Regimental Number: 7594
Died: 29 March 1918
Rowland Frank Eugene Lomas was born in Balmain, NSW c1884 to Frederick Lomas and Jane Elizabeth Coker, unable to confirm birth date and is based on age given on enlistment. He had one sister, Emily Lee Coker born 1892 and died in 1914. While Rowland was born in NSW, his family appear to have lived in the Rockhampton area in Queensland.
Rowland moved to Cairns and was a coach builder for the Cairns Railway. He married Annie McMurtrie in Cairns and had 4 children. Frederick born 1911, Phyllis Rowena in 1909, Jane Emily born 1913 and Rowley in 1916.
On his enlistment in Cairns, he gave his age as 32 years 5 months, occupation a Coach Builder, married with 4 children and his next of kin, his wife Annie McMurtrie Lomas of Scott Street Cairns. His height was 5 feet 6 ½ inches, weighed 125 pounds with fresh complexion, brown eyes and light brown hair. His religion was Church of England.
Rowland Frank Eugene Lomas was wounded in action on the 28 March 1918, admitted to the 56th Casualty Clearing Station on the 29 March 1918 and died on the 29 March 1918. He is buried in Gezaincourt Communal Cemetery Extension.
Online Resources
Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages
Photograph of the HMAT Hororata, Australian War Memorial
NAA: B2455, Rowland Frank Eugene Lomas, National Archives of Australia
Rowland Frank Eugene Lomas, Australian War Memorial
The Northern Herald 18 April 1918 p5
The Northern Herald 4 July 1918 p4
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