Rfn Arthur Abraham Borrowman 18 Rifle Brigade

[Will O'Brien]

As per CWGC

Name: BORROWMAN, ARTHUR ABRAHAM

Initials: A A

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Rifleman

Regiment: Rifle Brigade

Unit Text: "B" Coy. 18th Bn.

Age: 43

Date of Death: 30/04/1916

Service No: 579

Additional information: Son of Arthur and Elizabeth Borrowman; husband of Mary Ellen Borrowman, of 126, Stanstead Rd., Forest Hill, London.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: 4. F. 3.

Cemetery: RANGOON WAR CEMETERY

[Will O'Brien]

Cemetery: RANGOON WAR CEMETERY

Country: Myanmar

Location Information: The cemetery is situated between Myienegone and Manthawaddy roundabout (close to the circle) and at the back of Burma Translation Society (Sarbaybeikmann). The entrance to the cemetery is down a lane facing east along PYI road (formerly Prome Road) some 8 kilometres from the port, 12 kilometres from the airport and 5 kilometres from the main railway station. There is no road direction sign to the cemetery, but Monasteries surround the cemetery on three sides.

Historical Information: Rangoon War Cemetery was first used as a burial ground immediately following the recapture of Rangoon in May 1945. Later, the Army Graves Service moved in graves from several burial sites in and around Rangoon, including those of the men who died in Rangoon Jail as prisoners of war. There are now 1,381 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 86 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to more than 60 casualties whose graves could not be precisely located. In 1948, the graves of 36 Commonwealth servicemen who died in Rangoon during the First World War were moved into this cemetery, 35 of them from Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery and one from Rangoon (Pazundaung) Town Cemetery.

No. of Identified Casualties: 1341

[Will O'Brien]

Arthur Borrowman's online MIC index entry can be seen here

[Will O'Brien]

The 1901 census has Arthur & his wife Mary living in Lewisham aged 28 & 24 respectively. Arthur's occupation is listed as a Mechanical Dentist

[stiletto_33853]

18th Battalion arrived in Rangoon on 2nd January 1916. Here they remained, quartered at Sale Barracks for the rest of the war apart from a detachment of two companies at Port Blair, in the Andaman Islands, guarding the Convict settlement.

A prime role for the 18th in Rangoon was enrolling Anglo - Indians for military service and instructing the Indian Defence Force.

Sickness was rife in Rangoon and it is likely that Rifleman Borrowman died of illness there.

Andy