keithm Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 Information sought for another gr uncle. 12050 Cpl Francis Frederick Bowers, 5th R Berks Regt., died 28-4-1917. I have the 5th Berks war diary for the day Francis died, hats off to The Wardrobe for providing a wonderful service, free of charge. Very grateful to them. The diary, excerpts below, shows what happened the day he died. 5th Royal Berkshire Wednesday 25th April 1917 France, ARRAS 4a.m. Battalion left ARRAS and marched up the railway to the neighbourhood of FEUCHY. Spent day there and at 8.30p.m. moved forward to relieve the 17th Division in front line trenches. The 35th Bde held a two Battalion front from this line SCARPE to sunken road running East from MONCHY . Frontage of Bn (Ref Map FAMPOUX 1/10000) - H.36.G.5.4., H.36.C.4.9. H30.d.3.2., H.30.a.3.8., H.30.b.4.3., I.25.a.1.9. With 7th Norfolk Regt on right. Dispositions:- 3 Companies in Front Line - one in Reserve. 5th Royal Berkshire Saturday 28th April 1917 France, In the Trenches Ref Map Fampoux 35th Bde. received orders to capture BAYONET TRENCH, that part of RIFLE Trench still occupied by enemy and push out a line of outposts in advance of new line. Capture of BAYONET and RIFLE trenches allotted to 5th R. Berks Regt on Left, 7th Norfolk Regt on right, 7th Suffolf Regt, being responsible for capturing 2nd Objective, 9th Essex Regt being in Brigade Reserve. Dividing line between this Bn and 7th Norfolks I.31.a.0.6, I.31.a.6.7., I.26.c.1.3. The Battalion attacked at 4.25a.m. on a three Company Front, 'C' Coy on Right, 'D' coy in Centre, 'A' Coy on Left, B Coy in Reserve. All companies got close up under barrage and took their objective without difficulty, consolidating BAYONET and RIFLE trenches. The 7th NORFOLK Regt was not successful, and the 7th Suffolk Regt, on going through as at Zero + 50 mins was met by heavy rifle and M.G. fire and could not get on. The left Company of this battalion captured one Machine Gun, 1 officer and 11 other ranks prisoners. At 9a.m. The situation was that this Bn held BAYONET Trench and RIFLE Trench as far as I.31.a.55.75, where a bomb stop was made. The enemy occupied RIFLE Trench as far as HARNESS LANE. Position of 7th NORFOLKS and 7th SUFFOLKS unchanged. One Company of 9th ESSEX Regt was attached to the Bn and came under Commanding Officers orders th Royal Berkshire Tuesday 1st May 1917 France, In the Trenches Ref Map Fampoux By night the 35th Bde was relieved by 36th and 37th Bdes. The battalion after relief by 8th Bn R. Fusiliers moved back to the RAILWAY TRIANGLE. Casualties April 25th - May 1st (Inclusive) Officers:- Killed 2Lt J.C. ORR. Wounded:- Major D.H. AVORY 2Lt A.J. JONES 2Lt E.A. SUTTON 2Lt E. BEALE Other Ranks:- Killed 31, Wounded 143, Missing 22. W.C. Adams Capt. For Lt.Col. Commdg 5th R. Berkshire Regt. Francis must have been one of the 22 missing as his name is on the Arras Memorial, I need help with the following please:- 1. Does anyone have part of the Fampoux map that shows their locations on 25th April, or perhaps give modern map co-ordinates so the positions can be found on Google Earth. 2. Locations of Bayonet and Rifle Trenches they attacked on the 25th. 3. Location of Harness Lane in Rifle Trench where 5th Berks were divided from the Germans 4. MiC for Cpl Francis Frederick Bowers, 5. Can an estimate be made of when he joined up based on his regt. number? 6. Finally, you will be pleased to read, what is a ‘bomb stop”? It seems quite amazing that 5th Berks and Germans were both occupying the same Rifle trench after the attack, I wonder if this happened often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 Bomb Stop = Traverse or a barricade across a trench partly held by the enemy. Both sides holding parts of the same trench were not that uncommon, especially as trenches zigzaged - you might hold a zig and they a zag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphjd Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 MIC available on Ancestry to France 25-7-1915, presumed dead, Cpl on Victory medal, named as Frederick F Bowers.Ralph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 Map extract is a later one but is good for showing the positions of all the named trenches. Here is the same map with a larger area showing to give reference points for anyone looking in. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 The bomb stop was near the N in Rifle Trench according to the map reference. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 I've put the trenches onto an photo for you. Hope this helps you fix the positions. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimSmithson Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 Just realised I had a photo from where the track crosses Rifle Trench back towards Lone Copse (peaking above the horizon). Bayonet would have been just behind the crest in front. Cheers Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelPack Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 Shreddie The last pre-war number for the R. Berks was 10268 and by the end of September 1914 14153 - so, at a guess, enlistment would have been inlate August/ early September 1914. Regards Mel Ps Was he Berkshire lad? If so there may be a photograph of him in Berkshire at War Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelPack Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 MIC here: It looks as if he managed to survive Loos and the Somme. The 5th Battalion were part of the 35th Brigade of the 12th (Eastern) Division: http://www.1914-1918.net/12div.htm Regards Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 19 July , 2008 Share Posted 19 July , 2008 That's an 18th Division embarkation date - 6th Royal Berkshire Regiment. (A 5th Bn. man would have embarked 31-5-1915). 6th (Service) Battalion Formed at Reading, September 1914, as part of K2. October 1914 : became part of 53rd Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. 12 February 1918 : disbanded in France. http://www.1914-1918.net/berks.htm From the Wardrobe: 6th Royal Berkshire Sunday 25th July 1915 England, Codford Battn moved out of camp at 4.45pm - and landed in BOULOGNE at 2.30am. The move went off without a hitch. Weather bad - with heavy rain. Went into tents at OSTROHOVE Rest Camp and moved out at 8.45pm 26th. Interpreter joined Bn at station. Left BOULOGNE ( Central Station) at 10pm. Arrived at BERTANGLE at 4am. He must have switched Regiments, possibly after being wounded ? Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted 20 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2008 He must have switched Regiments, possibly after being wounded ? I've no information about Cpl Bowers being wounded, is there a way to find out? Perhaps he was always a 5th Batt man but traveled over to France as part of a rear party. In reality, I guess it is no longer possible to discover his precise movements, if he began in the 5th Batt or if he transferred from the 6th at some stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 20 July , 2008 Share Posted 20 July , 2008 It is likely that his wounding would have been mentioned in his local newspapers, less so with any evacuation from sickness, but not uncommon. Also, the Times (and other national newspapers) printed regular casualty lists for wounded men until mid-1917. Statistically, it is likely that Cpl Bowers would have been wounded in the Somme in 1916, as they were in a "quiet" sector of the line right through from August 1915 to June 1916 - it was actually the Somme they were at, but it was "quiet" through that period. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelPack Posted 20 July , 2008 Share Posted 20 July , 2008 Steve's psychic powers prevail again! I have just checked the Medal Rolls and lo and behold - 6th and 5th Battalion. Regards Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 20 July , 2008 Share Posted 20 July , 2008 It's just that 18th Division and 12th Division are the two Divisions I know a bit about! Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted 20 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2008 Thanks guys for some fantastic help, esp. Mel for the MiC, Jim for the maps and photo, and as for Steve, your picking up on that departure date was a truly impressive piece of work. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purley Posted 12 August , 2008 Share Posted 12 August , 2008 Shreddie The last pre-war number for the R. Berks was 10268 and by the end of September 1914 14153 - so, at a guess, enlistment would have been inlate August/ early September 1914. Regards Mel Ps Was he Berkshire lad? If so there may be a photograph of him in Berkshire at War 12050 Francis Frederick Bowers enlisted at Holborn 5/9/14 10268 H J R Hunt enlisted 12/8/14 - not a pre-war enlistment I'm afraid The last pre-war enlistment was 10229 H A Dore who enlisted 3/8/14 regards John.chapman@purley.eu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purley Posted 12 August , 2008 Share Posted 12 August , 2008 Shreddie The last pre-war number for the R. Berks was 10268 and by the end of September 1914 14153 - so, at a guess, enlistment would have been inlate August/ early September 1914. Regards Mel Ps Was he Berkshire lad? If so there may be a photograph of him in Berkshire at War 12050 Francis Frederick Bowers enlisted at Holborn 5/9/14 10268 H J R Hunt enlisted 12/8/14 - not a pre-war enlistment I'm afraid The last pre-war enlistment was 10229 H A Dore who enlisted 3/8/14 regards John.chapman@purley.eu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now