Hugh Rowlands was born in the village of Plastirion, Llanrug. He was the second son of miner and Welsh landowner John Rowlands, heir to the Plastirion estate, and his wife Elizabeth (née Hartwell). His family claimed descent from Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, Prince of Powys, and Dafydd ap Llywelyn, Prince of Gwynedd and had resided in the area for almost 200 years.[2] He was educated at Beaumaris Grammar School and Mr John Taylor's Cramming Academy, Woolwich.
On 5 November 1854 in the Crimea at Inkerman, Captain Rowlands and Private John McDermond rescued Colonel William O'Grady Haly of the 47th Regiment who had been wounded and surrounded by Russian soldiers. He also acted with great gallantry in holding the ground occupied by his advanced picquet against the enemy at the commencement of the Battle of Inkerman. For this action he became the first Welshman to be awarded the Victoria Cross.
He further distinguished himself during the siege of Sevastopol and was nominated for a Victoria Cross in recognition of his action during the second assault on the Redan in September 1855.[4]
After service in the West Indies and India he was a Special Service officer in South Africa in 1878 and 1879. He was appointed Commandant of the Transvaal in 1878 and led an unsuccessful assault on the Pedi stronghold of Chief Sekukuni. He served as a brigadier-general during the later stages of the Zulu War.
His latter years of service were spent in India where he commanded the Bangalore Division of the Madras Army and, on two occasions, took temporary command of the Madras Army. Returning to Britain he was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London in 1893 and Commander-in-Chief, Scotland in 1894 before retiring in 1896.[2]
He later achieved the rank of General. He was born and died in Llanrug. His VC is on display at the Welch Regiment Museum in Cardiff Castle in Wales. He served as a deputy lieutenant of Caernarfonshire and was a justice of the peace in Caernarfonshire and in the Transvaal. His only son, Major Hugh Barrow Rowlands, Suffolk Regiment and King's African Rifles, died of wounds in Somaliland in 1903.
Colonel Rowlands and his officers 41st Regiment 1870
^"War Office Sept. 25". Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser. 29 September 1849. Retrieved 18 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
hugh, rowlands, general, 1828, august, 1909, welsh, recipient, victoria, cross, courageous, action, that, rescue, colonel, william, grady, haly, during, crimean, grave, llanrugborn6, 1828llanrug, walesdied1, august, 1909, aged, llanrugburiedst, michael, church. General Sir Hugh Rowlands VC KCB DL 6 May 1828 1 August 1909 was a Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross for courageous action that led to the rescue of Colonel William O Grady Haly during the Crimean War 1 Sir Hugh RowlandsSir Hugh Rowlands grave in LlanrugBorn6 May 1828Llanrug WalesDied1 August 1909 aged 81 LlanrugBuriedSt Michael s Churchyard LlanrugAllegiance United KingdomService wbr branchBritish ArmyRankGeneralUnit41st Welsh Regiment of Foot34th Regiment of FootBattles warsCrimean WarAnglo Zulu WarAwardsVictoria CrossKnight Commander of the Order of the BathLegion d honneur France Order of the Medjidieh Ottoman Empire Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Further information 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksEarly life EditHugh Rowlands was born in the village of Plastirion Llanrug He was the second son of miner and Welsh landowner John Rowlands heir to the Plastirion estate and his wife Elizabeth nee Hartwell His family claimed descent from Bleddyn ap Cynfyn Prince of Powys and Dafydd ap Llywelyn Prince of Gwynedd and had resided in the area for almost 200 years 2 He was educated at Beaumaris Grammar School and Mr John Taylor s Cramming Academy Woolwich Career EditRowlands entered the military at the age of 21 purchasing a commission as an Ensign in the 41st Welch Regiment of Foot British Army 2 3 Rowlands served in Ireland Malta and the Ionian Islands and was promoted to captain in the 41st in September 1954 during the Crimean War He first saw action at the battle of the Alma in the same month and was present at Little Inkerman the following month On 5 November 1854 in the Crimea at Inkerman Captain Rowlands and Private John McDermond rescued Colonel William O Grady Haly of the 47th Regiment who had been wounded and surrounded by Russian soldiers He also acted with great gallantry in holding the ground occupied by his advanced picquet against the enemy at the commencement of the Battle of Inkerman For this action he became the first Welshman to be awarded the Victoria Cross He further distinguished himself during the siege of Sevastopol and was nominated for a Victoria Cross in recognition of his action during the second assault on the Redan in September 1855 4 After service in the West Indies and India he was a Special Service officer in South Africa in 1878 and 1879 He was appointed Commandant of the Transvaal in 1878 and led an unsuccessful assault on the Pedi stronghold of Chief Sekukuni He served as a brigadier general during the later stages of the Zulu War His latter years of service were spent in India where he commanded the Bangalore Division of the Madras Army and on two occasions took temporary command of the Madras Army Returning to Britain he was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London in 1893 and Commander in Chief Scotland in 1894 before retiring in 1896 2 In 1897 he was appointed Colonel of the Duke of Wellington s Regiment which he retained until his death in 1909 5 Further information EditHe later achieved the rank of General He was born and died in Llanrug His VC is on display at the Welch Regiment Museum in Cardiff Castle in Wales He served as a deputy lieutenant of Caernarfonshire and was a justice of the peace in Caernarfonshire and in the Transvaal His only son Major Hugh Barrow Rowlands Suffolk Regiment and King s African Rifles died of wounds in Somaliland in 1903 Colonel Rowlands and his officers 41st Regiment 1870References Edit Sir Hugh Rowlands VC victoriacross a b c Williams Williams Alister Hugh Rowlands Dictionary of Welsh Biography National Library of Wales Retrieved 29 November 2014 War Office Sept 25 Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser 29 September 1849 Retrieved 18 September 2021 via British Newspaper Archive No 21971 The London Gazette 24 February 1857 p 659 Duke of Wellington s regimental website Colonels of The Regiment Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback MachineFurther reading EditMonuments to Courage David Harvey 1999 The Register of the Victoria Cross This England 1997 Rowlands VC the life and career of General Sir Hugh Rowlands VC KCB W Alister Williams Commandant of the Transvaal the life and career of General Sir Hugh Rowlands VC KCB W Alister Williams Heart of a Dragon the VCs of Wales and the Welsh Regiments Vol 1 1854 1902 W Alister Williams External links EditLocation of grave and VC medal Gwynedd Wales Military officesPreceded byArthur Lyon Fremantle GOC Scottish District1894 1896 Succeeded byEdward Chapman Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hugh Rowlands amp oldid 1130080416, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
