In the nwn obituary Roland's surname is misspelt as Rayner, (which Colin Hewson assumes was in the original and not a transcription error.) It refers to him as Edward John Rayner.  His sister and brother in law were called Persani not Prasani.

Neither was he a native of Hockley although his mother and three sisters all lived in the Birmingham area. Rowland was born in Pontefract on 10th December 1886. Attached is a copy of his birth certificate.  His mothers name was Mary Emma Luckey and not Williamson as it says on the certificate for reasons that are not clear she gave her correct maiden name for the registration of her first 2 children (both born in Ireland) but adopted the name Williamson after the family moved to her husband's Arthur's home in the county of Yorkshire.

In the 1911 census Rowland is found in the Louisburg barracks in Bordon in Hampshire

it is not clear how long his service in India lasted.

He left for France on the 20th of August 1914 but it is unclear how and where he came by his wounds.

Rowland came from military family. His maternal grandfather James Luckey from Ballybay in Monaghan served with the 89th regiment of foot in North America and in the Crimean War. James' father, also James, was a soldier as well.

Rowland's two brothers are mentioned in the NWN obituary.  The oldest Arthur was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. He and James Albert Raynor, known as Bert, both survived the war. However their brother-in-law, Charles Holloway, was killed in action in 1917 and is buried in France. Charles was married to Maud (Mary Maudeline Margaret) who was named as the recipient of Rowlands effects.

The Mr and Mrs Persani mentioned in the obituary were James Persani a policeman seconded to the military Mounted Police during the war and Rowlands elder sister Caroline Elizabeth Dorothy (known as Lily or Lillian).

The Jim and Dad referred to in the obituary is probably James Byram, Mary Emma's second husband. Mary Emma Bryam was a civilian casualty during World War Two and is listed on the Commonwealth War Graves website

The only sibling of Rowland's to not be mentioned in the obituary was his youngest sister Frances Bellwood Raynor known as Rita and it is likely she was nursing her first child who was to die on the 29th of April 1915

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