Ka kammala wannan magana: A matsayinsa na matashi, Rowell ya yi aiki a Gallipoli amma ya koma Australia a watan Janairu na shekara ta 1916 saboda ciwon zazzabin cizon sauro. Ƙarshen yakin ya sami Rowell ƙarami a matsayi zuwa ga abokan zamaninsa tare da bayanan yaƙi masu daraja, amma ya sami damar kamawa a lokacin bayan yaƙin. Rowell ya shafe shekaru biyar tare da Sojojin Burtaniya ko a kwalejojin ma'aikatan Burtaniya, yana kulla alaƙa mai mahimmanci tare da takwarorinsa na Burtaniya. A shekara ta 1939 an nada shi shugaban ma'aikatan sashen na 6 kuma daga baya I Corps, yana aiki a wannan matsayin a yakin Girka da yakin Syria-Lebanon. A cikin 1942 ya umurci I Corps a cikin
Kokoda Track kamfen amma aka kora. Sakamakon da ya samu na zama Babban Jami'in Janar ya nuna cewa yanayin da ya yi a shekarar 1942 ya kasance mai ban mamaki.