No.767550, Private, Frederic William Snell BOWYER
Aged 19
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Frederic William Snell Bowyer was born in Kirtling (Newmarket Q1-1899 3B:503), baptised on 2nd April 1899 in Kirtling, son of Frank and Rose Alice BOWYER
(née MASCALL ).
1901 census...Aged 2, he was at Place Farm, Kirtling, with his father Frank BOWYER [36] farmer, born Finchingfield, Essex; his mother Rose Alice [25], born Elsenham, Essex and sister Queenie Francis [3] born Hundon. 1911 census...Aged 12 he was at Place Farm with his parents, sister Queenie and brother Frank Mascall [2] born Kirtling. His brother Kenneth George was born later in 1911 in Kirtling. No pension card has been found |
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He enlisted in Hounslow. He was mobilised in the London Regiment (28th Battalion, the Artists Rifles)on 18th January 1918. He was 18 yrs 11 months old, 5ft 4.5 inches (163.6 cm) tall, weighing 126 lbs (57.3 kg). Chest 33.75" to 35.5" (85.7 to 90.2 cm). Church of England. Hazel eyes, brown hair. Next of Kin was his father Frank at Place Farm, Kirtling Posted via Folkstone/Boulogne to the BEF on 4th June 1918. Admitted to No 7 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples with PUO (Pyrexia Unknown Origin..ie a fever and they did not know what it was). Recovering he was sent to rejoin his unit, arriving back with them on 25th July 1918. He was killed in action on 30th September 1918. From an article in Len Sellers' magazine 'RND' Issue No. 17, June 2001 .. pages 1646 to 1668 : "At this time the Artist's Rifles were in the 190th Infantry Brigade, of the 63rd (RN) Division, then part of XVII Corps. The action here is generally referred to as the Battle of the Canal du Nord and operations covered the days from 27th Sept. to 2nd Oct. 1918. In general terms the action here took place in the quadrant, immediately southwest of Cambrai. On 30th Sept 1918 at 06.30 the 190th Brigade began its advance; the 1st Artist's Rifles on the right, the 7th RF on the left and the 4th Bedford Regiment in support. The advance was held up by heavy machine gun fire from the north and south. A second attempt at an advance by the 190th Brigade was made at 1pm, but again heavy machine gun fire held them up. Progress was slow and very costly. The divisional report on operations notes 'The day's fighting was remarkable for the persistent efforts on the part of the 190th Infantry Brigade to make progress eastwards in the face of heavy Machine Gun fire." Casualties of the Artist's Rifles for the whole battle were Killed .. 2 officers and 38 other ranks; Wounded .. 9 officers and 186 other ranks; Missing ..5 other ranks. Initially he was buried as shown below and 69 graves from east and south of Cambrai were moved to East Cambrai Cemetery in August 1919. |
Frederic was initially buried here photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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