Captured Major - Spring Offensive 1918

[eairicbloodaxe]

At first glance of pic number 2, I thought "that's him!". Looking back at the captured officer pic confirmed it for me.

So looks like number 2 to me.

Well done for all the fascinating research.

Regards

Ian

[battiscombe]

this certainly looks a very good possibility for Bowen .

Do we know his command in 8/KRRC [or have I missed that?]? A [Major Barber] and C Companys were in the line, B on the Route Nationale and D spread about in other strongpoints. Captain Tetley was named as the man pulling together defenses on the Jussy canal crossing..extracting the surviving 80 men of the Bn.

[KIR]

Gentlemen, excuse my late reply, the last few days had a lot of work.

Oriel College re-union dinner 1919, large picture so seriously cropped to fit forum size limits

Andy

Andy & I have spotted two of the men in uniform have rifles buttons ...

#1 Oriel - Rifles Captain 01.jpg #2 Oriel - Rifles 02.jpg

Here's Major Bowen from the 1915 8/KRRC officers' group shot ...

RL Bowen, 8-KRRC 1915.jpg

#1 appears to have MC and Star ribbons up, but has captain's cuff rank, not major.

#2 has an unidentified ribbon and a ?Star. Cannot make out rank. He seems taller, is moustached and has a much heavier build than Bowen in 1915.

All the men in the Oriel College 1919 photo served, so Bowen could well be one of the men in black/white tie.

Here's the captured major again ...

KommandeurHuthBritishMajor1 (2).jpg

Andy and Mark,

I can't find the right words, maybe: awesome, brilliant, exellent research! I appreciate your great work!

This evening I will read through everything again exactly!* I'll be back!

Thank you again and best regards,

Jens

*sorry - I need some days more, I'll be back on weekend!

picture: between Jussy and Faillonel, 24th March 1918.

[stiletto_33853]

Its been great trying to Identify him Jens, something to get your teeth into.

Rob at the Oriel Archives is also assisting and has become quite absorbed in this little project also, talked to him this morning again. Still some way to go, as Bowen was 3rd generation rifles there could quite possibly be a little more on him somewhere and we have to go through the Barber avenue as well.

The dinner at Oriel was 15/7/19, picture 2 is quite stoutly built for someone returning from a POW camp 7 months before and the jawline, eyes and left ear make me wonder about picture 1, so the hunt goes on.

Andy

[MBrockway]

At first glance of pic number 2, I thought "that's him!". Looking back at the captured officer pic confirmed it for me.

So looks like number 2 to me.

Ian

The trouble is rifleman #2 appears much taller and stouter than Bowen in the 1915 8/KRRC officer group portrait.

#2 is a fair match for the captured major but a less good match for Bowen.

On a long shot, Andy and I have checked if Major Barber was also at Oriel College, Oxford in case #2 might be he, but we can confirm Barber was not at Oxford University.

[MBrockway]

We have some inconclusive evidence that Robert L Bowen may have died in late 1958/early 1959 in Inner London.

As his father and grandfather were both riflemen, there's a fair chance he has an obituary in the KRRC Chronicle for 1959 or 1960.

I only have the latter and he's not mentioned.

If any Pal has the 1959 KRRC Chronicle could they have a quick look?

I must stress that this 1958-9 death date is inconclusive though

[MBrockway]

this certainly looks a very good possibility for Bowen .

Do we know his command in 8/KRRC [or have I missed that?]? A [Major Barber] and C Companys were in the line, B on the Route Nationale and D spread about in other strongpoints. Captain Tetley was named as the man pulling together defenses on the Jussy canal crossing..extracting the surviving 80 men of the Bn.

Bowen is not listed in the 1918 KRRC Chronicle Officer Casualty List. Major Barber is, as POW with date 13 May 1918, presumably the date when official confirmation of his capture was received from the German authorities.

Bowen's MC is also omitted from the Decorations List in the 1918 KRRC Chronicle.

My reading of these omissions is that they are due to the fighting battalion effectively ceasing to exist in March 1918 and difficulties with compiling and checking data when the 1918 KRRC Chronicle was put together in December 1919.

We know both Bowen and Barber were POWs from Lt.-Col Curling's letter of 30 Apr 1918 in Andy's post #55.

As regards Major Bowen's exact role in 8/KRRC, the picture is mixed. On 20 Nov 1915 he took command of 'C' Company, prior to that he had been battalion Machine Gun Officer.

However on 23 July 1916, the war diary mentions Lt. R.L.Bowen rejoined the battalion from hospital and was posted to 'B' Coy. So far I have not found an earlier mention of sickness or wounding to match up with this. The LG entry in post #73 above has Bowen as commanding a company from 10 Feb 1916 to 20 Mar 1916 inclusive, but I can find nothing in the war diary around 20 Mar 1916 to suggest Bowen was incapacitated.

On 04 Dec 1917 the war diary mentions Major Bowen took over command of battalion after the OC, Lt.-Col. Maxwell, MC was killed by a shell at approx 21:00hrs on 03 Dec 1917.

On 30 Jan 1918, Lt.-Col. Bryan J. Curling, DSO arrived from HQ, 42nd Division, to assume command of the battalion.

It is Lt.-Col. Curling's signature on the foot of the 8/KRRC January 1918 battalion war diary ...

There's no detail on Major Bowen's role after Curling assumed command, however the February 1918 battalion war diary is signed thus ...

... so Bowen was at least in temporary command again at the end of February. Perhaps Curling was called away overnight? He was certainly not among the men captured on 21-23 March.

Between 14th and 27th Apr 1918, Curling was in command of the composite KRRC battalion formed from the remnants of 7/KRRC, 8/KRRC and 9/KRRC during the rest of the retreat, and on 02 May 1918 assumed command of 16/KRRC.

Curling is the author of the letter in Andy's Post #55 on 30 Apr 1918.

The March 1918 battalion war diary begins with an explanation for the poor detail, describing that "all the battalion records were lost, Captain Pope, the adjutant, has written to say that they burnt the lot and blew up the typewriter before they were captured. All Bde stuff was lost therefore no disposition can be given."

Andy's post #56 above covers this lost documentation from the 41st Brigade perspective.

[The Prussian]

Wow!

I followed this thread with npleasure! I It is one of the most interesting threads ever! Great work, fantastic! Chapeu, monsieurs!

[spof]

Here is the interview Major Bowen gave to explain how he was captured:

Reference: 26857/4 Dated: 17-2-19
Name in Full: Robert Leonard Bowen Rank at time of Capture: Major
Date of Capture: 21/3/18 Place of Capture: Near St Quentin
If wounded or otherwise: Mustard gas blisters on knees
Company etc.: Head Quarters Unit 8th Bn KRRC 41 Brigade 14 Division
Whether escaped or repatriated: Repatriated Date of Escape of repatriation 29/11/18 to Switzerland
Date of arrival in England 7/12/18
Present address: The Wrays, near Horley, Surrey or 5th Bn KRRC Sheerness

STATEMENT regarding circumstances which led to capture:-
On March 21st 1918, 8th Bn KRRC were holding front line trenches east of URVILLERS, near ST QUENTIN. The enemy began a heavy bombardment at 4.45am, which lasted until 10am. He used a large number of gas shells during this bombardment. He appears to have attacked the Division N of ours about 9am and a large column of men turned Southwards and took our front lint positions in rear, at the same time as he made a partial attack about 10am. During this time, there was so thick a fag, that it was impossible to see as much as 5 yards ahead. The bombardment had broken all telephone wires, both forward from Battn HQ and back to Bde HQ – further the fog was so thick that it was impossible to see SOS signals – in fact even to see whether those, we sent up ourselves, burst properly or not. About 10.20am, we received information from a runner from one of the front line companies that the Germans were attacking them both frontally and from behind. Runners were sent out to Bde HQ and returned saying that the Germans were already behind us, having come down from a northern direction and they could find no way through. The ground behind the front line system and in front of the Support Battn was held by a series of strong posts wired all round and with machine guns to sweep the ground in between, but unfortunately owing to the fog, the latter were of no value. During the morning, the enemy attacked a strong point near Battn HQ and drove them in on our HQ. The enemy attempted to follow, but we repulsed them. We sent off pigeons with information, but after the last of them had gone, we had no further means of communication, though some runners attempted to get through, with what results I do not know. About 1.30pm the fog began to clear a little and we saw large columns of prisoners being led back from the direction of ESSIGNY. A few of these parties, who came near us, we managed to liberate, and from them we learnt that the whole of the Support Battalion in ESSIGNY had been captured, as well as Bde HQ of 41st and 42nd Brigades. As the fog began to clear, we saw large bodies of enemy infantry in the distance North of us and also that we were quite surrounded by more infantry some 600 yards away. These latter attempted an attack on our position, but we drove them off before they reached our wire. They then made no attempt to attack us again, but completely surrounded us, with what I should estimate to have been a Regiment of Infantry. We sniped them and got as many as possible, but they leapt stone wall and used cover and old trenches. At this time we were still in touch with another strong point by means of a communication trench, which we picketed and held. Our ammunition was giving out also, as there was an added line of stragglers and released prisoners in the post, who had not been allowed for in the ammunition store. About 4pm the Germans brought up his tanks and captured the other strong point, still holding out. After this their tanks came on to HQ and proceeded to knock down the wire and shoot into the trenches. Their infantry still kept down and offered no mark. We had no means of knocking out their tanks – two TMs for this purpose, that were some 600 yards from the strong post, having been knocked out hours previously. We had no chance of resistance against the tanks, and no chance of getting any Germans, as they kept well out of sight. During these last hours we had also been heavily shelled by our guns behind ESSIGNY, and by German TMs.

[spof]

A brief summary of Major Bowen's details from his service record

Born 29.11.1891

1 ½ years Wellington College Cadet Corps - Private

29.8.14 Appointed to temp 2^nd Lt KRRC

14.3.15 Promoted Temp Lt

8.8.16 Promoted Temp Captain

25.8.17 Promoted Temp Major

19.12.17 – 29.1.18 Appointed Temp Lt Col

26.11.19 Relinquished his commission on completion of service.

Records of service – satisfactory

Took up an appointment with Colonial Office in Ibadan (Nigeria)

23.3.18 Removed from list of candidates noted as desirous of permanent commission

[MBrockway]

Excellent Glen! Was only talking to Andy yesterday about whether you'd made it to Kew to check the men's records. You've really come up trumps here!

Liz will be very interested in his service with the Nigerian Colonial Office.

Cheers,

Mark

[MBrockway]

..

..

Not in the Blue's register unfortunately as I have most of the pictures of the blues in their respective teams.

Andy

Having eliminated Bowen from the Blues (i.e. university level) sports, Andy's also heard from the archivist at Oriel College that Bowen is not present in any of the Oriel College cuppers (i.e. inter-collegiate) sports teams for which they have photographs.

[spof]

Mark

I actually got the record on Friday but (to cut a long story short) I was only able to access them yesterday. There is no detail on his work in Nigeria only a letter saying he no longer wanted a commission and a request for a reference from the Army Council made by the Colinial Office in 1920.

As he was in Wellington College Cadets, would that college have an archivist?

Glen

[MBrockway]

Bowen attending Wellington College is perhaps predictable - the school was founded primarily for the orphans of Army officers for whom bursaries were available.

Bowen's father fell at Ladysmith with 2/KRRC.

The non-orphaned pupils were also from a predominantly military background.

IIRC, the school was mainly known for rugger.

Sorry to also report that Peter Snow is an alumnus - the horror!

[MBrockway]

As he was in Wellington College Cadets, would that college have an archivist?

Glen

Almost certainly. Andy is likely to pick that up though - he has very good links with the archivists of the major public schools from his RB work. He'll spot your new information any minute, if indeed he has not done so already!

[stiletto_33853]

Great news Glen, thank you. Wellington will be contacted a little later today or later in the week, heavy workload presently in real life.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

Wellington on half term presently, talked to the archivist he will be back next week and will see what he can find for us in the way of a picture.

Andy

[MBrockway]

Andy - confirming our discussions off the board, Glen's excellent research reveals Bowen was indeed commissioned directly from the Oxford University Officer Training Corps (OTC) ...

Did the archivist at Oriel mention Bowen's matriculation and graduation dates? Bowen would have been 22 years old on 21 Aug 1914 and I'm wondering if he had graduated at the end of the previous Trinity Term or whether he interrupted his degree.

There was a strong rifles link with the Oxford University OTC at the time. Andy can expand!

There's also this nice touch where Bowen requests a specific commission in his father's regiment ...

(Note: the manuscript here is not in Bowen's hand)

Glen - again: many thanks for digging this out from Kew, so nice to have primary sources used on the Forum !

[MBrockway]

Bowen's father fell at Ladysmith with 2/KRRC.

We should perhaps clarify that 60th Rifles is synonymous with the King's Royal Rifle Corps.

Likewise 95th Rifles with The Rifle Brigade.

Both of which were regiments in the order of battle, not brigades nor corps!

For the benefit of Jens and Pal Prussian, these regiments were the British equivalents of Jäger.

[spof]

A quick search for RB and KRRC in the WO 161 PoW Interviews here lists 2 KRRC and 1 8RB men captured on the 21st March and one 8RB man captured on 4th April. I will download them for free in Kew next week.

[MBrockway]

A quick search for RB and KRRC in the WO 161 PoW Interviews here lists 2 KRRC and 1 8RB men captured on the 21st March and one 8RB man captured on 4th April. I will download them for free in Kew next week.

Excellent - I'd done that search myself earlier but baulked at parting with the readies to view them remotely!

[MBrockway]

Liz will be very interested in his service with the Nigerian Colonial Office.

Pal reports back that Major Bowen is still listed amongst the Colonial Service District Officers in Nigeria in 1927.

[Liz in Eastbourne]

I'm no expert on colonial officials, especially in the south of Nigeria (I always lived in the north, later obviously!) but I just happen to have a copy of the Nigeria Handbook for 1927 which gives government statistics.

It looks as if Major Bowen spent his whole career in Nigeria, possibly throughout WW2, though he would have been too old to stay right through to independence. Googling reveals a book about the Urhobo royal family with a footnote showing that in 1940 he was Senior Resident among the Urhobo people, therefore I think for the province of Warri. He had played cricket at Wellington and also played for the Nigeria Europeans against the Gold Coast Europeans in 1932-1933.

EDIT It was Warri, as I thought - and he was still there in 1944 according to another account.

Liz

Edited 23 October , 2013 by Liz in Eastbourne

[stiletto_33853]

Mark,

Oxford had a very strong connection with the Rifles particularly the Rifle Brigade, also with Eton. Ronnie MacLachlan was the C.O. for the Oxford O.T.C. and recruited a lot of his officers for the 8th RB from Oxford to the extent that Cambridge students wanting to join the 8th RB were afraid that they would be excluded due to Oxford. At the forming of the 8th RB Sheepshanks was the only Cambridge man there having attended Trinity College, most of the other officers were Oxford with one or two exceptions.

Eton also had a very strong connection, with MacLachlan being an old student (left 1891), two masters from Eton joined the 8th RB (Sheepshanks & Pryor) with a lot of the Eton students choosing the 8th RB due to these two with Pryor going back to teach at Eton when he was wounded. After Hooge with quite a few of them still awaiting to join the 8th overseas, and the loss of a lot of their friends some elected to move regiments, poor devils opted for the Guards with their backgrounds. Sheepshanks stayed with the 8th RB commanding it for a while, when MacLachlan went onto to command 112th Brigade, and ended up commanding a KRRC battalion. Pryor was killed on 15/9/16 with Sheepshanks going back to search the battlefield for him. After the war Sheepshanks went back to Eton and commanded the O.T.C. there. So yes a very strong Oxford/Eton connection.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

Eton O.T.C. 1913, Sheepshanks is front row on far right, also the front man in my avatar in the trenches, lot's of well known names in the picture. Will be asking Wellington if they have a picture of their OTC as Benson was in the OTC, might get a good shot of him.

Andy