Parcell Rees Bowen

[corisande]

I have probably reached as far as I can get with this man as I do not have access to Kew records. All the evidence I have is that he died on active service, but only the Kew file could show us

1. My write up on Parcell Rees Bowen MC, DFC and bar

2. Memorial information by Forum Member SteveJ. It is towards bottom of the page. Steve has the date out by a year which effects the comments he makes. Irish death registration, Irish Paper and Army coffin details all say Oct 1920 not 1921.

3. Irish newspaper says "died of natural causes" Oct 1920

The spelling of Parcell does waver a bit but it is the same man. See Welsh burial

4. Welsh burial says "murdered by Sinn Fein"

5. British Army correspondence found in Kew in Angliss file

ALL the other coffins on this list were "special appointment" men in Ireland and are recognised by CWGC. We have had much here recently on A P White

6. Parcell Bowen's file exists in Kew. WO 374/8033 Lt P R Bowen. Perhaps one of the readers of this forum who do work on getting recognition could look into this case.

It is clear to me that he was a "special appointment" in Ireland. What I cannot tell is whether he died of natural causes or was murdered. If he was murdered and was on "special appointment" then undoubtedly he deserves recognition by CWGC as all the others on that "coffin list" were

[David_Underdown]

Well his RAF record is online http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=8279801 Thought he only thing of note beyond what you already have is mention that there was also an article about his death in the Daily Mirror of 29 October 1920.

[headgardener]

ALL the other coffins on this list were "special appointment" men in Ireland and are recognised by CWGC. We have had much here recently on A P White

Parcell Bowen's file exists in Kew. WO 374/8033 Lt P R Bowen. Perhaps one of the readers of this forum who do work on getting recognition could look into this case.

It is clear to me that he was a "special appointment" in Ireland. What I cannot tell is whether he died of natural causes or was murdered. If he was murdered and was on "special appointment" then undoubtedly he deserves recognition by CWGC as all the others on that "coffin list" were

In regard to CWGC recognition, I wonder if the issue in this case is the fact that he was no longer a serving member of any branch of the armed forces. He seems to be consistently described as an ex-officer. I'd imagine that the fact he was employed by the government and was a 'special appointment' working in intelligence (in effect, a civil servant) wouldn't be enough grounds for CWGC recognition. I understand that all the other men on the list were serving officers.

Edit; I wonder what his death certificate says with respect to cause of death?

[corisande]

I don't want this to get bogged down in this discussion about "ex soldier" for the intelligence men. Basically they were all described as "ex soldier" and they were to the extent that they resigned their commission and then were recalled/volunteered for special appointment. Dublin was full of English "ex officers" at this time, the army was certainly not going to admit that they were undercover intelligence men.

Most of the men on the "coffin list" were "special appointment, and all have CWGC commission.

Thank you David Underdown for his RAF record pointer. I have them now, but unfortunately it does not even cover his RAF service in Russia, where he won another DFC (the award is noted)

One needs the WO 374/8033 which should have the court of inquiry on his death.

I will investigate that Daily Mirror 29 Oct 1920 reference which might give another side to the story. Or might just reiterate what the Irish Papers printed. Certainly I could find nothing in the London Times

[Myrtle]

Corisande

An interesting one. I notice that Parcell Bowen was one of 12 surviving children from a farming family. Seems to me that there should be some descendants from Carmarthenshire with some family stories to tell. I also notice that he was still in education at the age of 17 whereas one of his younger brothers who was 15 years old was already working on the farm. At time of 1911 census he was the only sibling above the age of 15 not working in agriculture.

Myrtle

[corisande]

Parcell Bowen was one of 12 surviving children from a farming family. Seems to me that there should be some descendants from Carmarthenshire with some family stories to tell. Myrtle

Yes, It struck me that I should have been able to unearth some descendants. But they do not seem to be interested in genealogy. With a name like Parcell one would think it easy to find anyone looking. I had a root round in Ancestry and GenesReunited over the last few days, but wss not able to get anyone. I have tried Rootschat's Carmarthen forum, but have not get a response from a descendant yet. Obviously find a descendant should be a good way of getting further information on him

I will scratch my head and see if there is an indirect way of getting any descendants - he does not appear to have been married but somebody must have got his medals

[headgardener]

Sorry, I understood that the names of all the other officers appeared in the LG and the Army List at the time that they were assasinated, hence CWGC recognition, and I just wasn't clear from your write-up that this was the case for Bowen. If he was commissioned in the army or air force at the time of his death then his name should definately be put forward for CWGC recognition.

[corisande]

Dublin in 1920 was a very murky area of operations.

What I am trying to do is establish the facts of his death. Nobody is going to review CWGC status until all the facts have been established.

Unfortunately these threads on Ireland can get sidetracked and I am trying to focus it on his death

[Myrtle]

Corisande

If you haven't tried them already, I would look at using the local newspapers and/or the local studies department of the library in that area,to extend your research.It may be worth contacting the Carmarthen museum in Abergwili.

[Myrtle]

Link for the Carmarthen Museum in Abergwili.

[corisande]

Myrtle

Thanks, I will give them a try. I find that country museums vary enormously in the amount of help they give. Lets hope they are helpful in Camarthen

[David_Underdown]

I've reviewed the file today, and it's clear that he was serving at the time of his death, though the court of inquiry does refer him to him as just a "coal agent" in its conclusions for some reason, perhaps an attempt at obfuscation, the court record has also been, in modern parlance, redacted - with the names of two of the witnesses scratched out. He was shot - the bullet was entered into evidence in the court, and the record states the bullet was attached, but it's certainly not actually in the file as it stands today!

It was a nice full record, even including his initial attestation forms for service in the ranks with an ASC remount company. I'll try to get the images up over the weekend.

[corisande]

the court record has also been, in modern parlance, redacted - with the names of two of the witnesses scratched out.

That is what they did with all the Courts of Inquiry into deaths in Ireland at that time. I have about 5 or 6 of these courts, and it was done in all cases to avoid "problems" for the witnesses, usually the medical witness was named.

If you can put the scans up it would be really useful, quite weird that the newspaper reports say "not a mark on the body"

If one can demonstrate that he was serving when he was shot, then he, as I understand the rules, is entitled to CWGC recognition. In other words one does not have to prove that he was actually on duty at the time, but was a current serving officer.

[David_Underdown]

Even at the court of enquiry the policeman first called to his corpse stated that there were no obvious marks when he found him. Since he was fully clothed, perhaps he attempted to run off to avoid his assailant(s) and the bullet somehow found a gap in his clothing? Although he actually says he "saw the remains in the mortuary".

With regard to teh redaction, I see looking back at the Alfred White file that in that case the witnesses were simply described as fifth witness, sixth witness etc, a slightly different sort of redaction.

Bowen was Territorial Force, and the file specifically states he was re-embodied for service, which I think should be sufficient for CWGC/MOD.

He seems to have been slightly careless while he was in Palestine and picked up a dose of the clap.

[corisande]

Bowen was Territorial Force, and the file specifically states he was re-embodied for service, which I think should be sufficient for CWGC/MOD

That is good news. The great problem with "spies" is that to put them undercover, you have to remove documentation

The situation in Ireland was complicated with at least 3 different organizations running agents. This was the best I could come up with for the organisation

In the early days everything went in the Gazette as a "special appointment", but by the time Bowen was shot, they must have realised the stupidity of announcing appointments of spies with very little attempt made to disguise what was going on. Trouble for men like Bowen who were shot in the line of duty, is that it is very difficult to prove he was a serving officer.

Ironic about the clap, these things get onto files and stay there for posterity.

[corisande]

Thought he only thing of note beyond what you already have is mention that there was also an article about his death in the Daily Mirror of 29 October 1920.

Mirror archivist has now looked up that issue and cannot find any thing on Bowen or body in a Dublin Street, nor anything around that date. Odd when he had the mention of the Mirror on his RAF service record, and odd too that the service record mentioned the Mirror rather than anything more cerebral.

[David_Underdown]

Needs a bit more sorting out, but the images are up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/11226331@N05/sets/72157624886107132/

[corisande]

That is an amazing amount of work you have done photographing his complete service file

As you say, it proves that he had been re-embodied, had reported to Harper Shove at the Hounslow Spy School on 10th Aug 1920, and was a serving officer when he was shot. Army were paying him.

His undercover job was a a agent for a Welsh Coal Firm in Dublin - the idea was that they all had a job like that as cover.

I'll put them through Photoshop to enable the reading to be easier

Would you or some one else now like to submit him to CWGC for consideration

[David_Underdown]

I'm just starting to rotate them on Flickr now, so don't start photo-shopping them just yet.

[corisande]

photo-shopping

Rotate, crop, enhance

[chrisharley9]

Not attempting to steal anyones thunder, but who would like to get him submitted to CWGC. I can do it on Corisande's behalf through IFCP

[corisande]

I would like him submitted to CWGC, I think all the evidence is there. As far as I am concerned you do not need to bring my name into it, and you are free to use any of the stuff off my web page on him though I think the file from Kew is the only evidence you need

Equally well I am happy for David Underdown to submit it himself

Basically I was researching him in relation to his death in Dublin, not with a view to getting CWGC recognition, but when I saw he deserved that recognition I posted here.

Happy to leave it to the experts, as long as someone does it

[David_Underdown]

Happy for it to go through IFCP

[chrisharley9]

No problems; will get it sorted tomorrow evening

Chris