Rowland Harry Lewis was born on 29 June 1893 in Kidderminster, the son of Harry Lewis, a Brussels Carpet Weaver, and Ann Sophia Lewis and baptised on 31 Jul 1893, living at 48 Crescent Road, Kidderminster and working as a clerk in the Education Office. Enlisting with the Worcestershire Yeomanry , Lewis was posted to Egypt as a Corporal with the 3rd Battalion on 24 Apr 1915 and commissioned 2nd Lieutenant with the Worcestershire Yeomanry on 27 Nov 1916.