Frederick William Rowe was born at Balaclava in Victoria on 24 July 1889. The 25-year-old salesman enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force on 15 August 1914. Assigned the rank of gunner with the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, Rowe departed Sydney aboard HMAT Shropshire on 20 October 1914.

Rowe served on Gallipoli for nearly the entire campaign, and wrote home regularly with descriptive and informative accounts of the fighting. One particularly detailed letter described the landing on 25 April and commented that "the six-bob-a-day tourists have made a name for Australia that will live forever."

In May 1915 Rowe received a gunshot wound to the left thigh. He was evacuated again in November with gallstones and returned to Australia in January 1916 before being discharged two months later from ill-health. Rowe re-enlisted in 1919 for special service and was sent to England to assist with demobillisation efforts. He returned to Australia in November that year. Frederick Rowe died on 21 June 1947.