No.26760, Private, Harry George BOWERS
Aged 23
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Born in 1894 (2nd qtr Bury St.Edmunds 4a:796) son of George Deed and Martha BOWERS (née TUNBRIDGE)
1901 census...Aged 7, he was at 5 Victora Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his father George D BOWERS[46] tailor's cutter; his mother Martha [46]; sisiters Maud Mary [20], Gertrude [15] and Mabel [13] brother Bertie S [29] rocer's assistant. All were born in Bury St.Edmunds 1911 census...Aged 17, tailor's assstant, he was at 82 York Road, Bury St.Edmunds with his father George D BOWERS [56] tailor; his mother Martha [61][sic]; brother Bertie [29] grocer's assistant; sisters Gertrude [25] milliner and Mabel [23] mother's help. |
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He enlisted in Brighton. War diary for 8th April 1917:- Trenches in MERCATEL sector - 9th - At 1:30am a party of 100 O.R. of "D" Coy under the command of Lt Frisby went forward to attack the MILL near the HESDIN-NEUVILLE VITASSE road. The attack met with considerable resistance and the attackers were forced to retire, having sustained heavy casualties. Lt N FRISBY was wounded and Lt S R PARSONS killed and 35 other ranks became casualties. Lt BEARNE and one platoon moved forward to cover the retirement. It was ascertained from prisoners taken later that the garrison of this MILL was at the time of the attack 120 other ranks and 2 machine guns. At.5:30 am the main attack on the HINDENBRG LNE commenced. NEUVILLE VITASSE and ST.MARTIN-sur-COJEUL, the villages on our flanks, were captured and at 11:36 am the 21st Brigade attacked with the 2nd Wiltshire Regt on the right, the 18th Kings (Liverpool) Regt on the left, and the 19th Manchester Regt in support. The distances between the assembly positions of this battalion and their objective varied between 2,000 and 2,400 yards. The battalion advanced in artillery formation, the first wave being composed of "A" Coy on the right and "B" Coy on the left, the second wave was composed of "C" Coy on the right and "D" Coy on the left, each wave consisting of 2 lines of 2 platoons per Company. Considerable hostile shelling was experienced throughout the advance, which became intense as it proceeded, causing heavy casualties before the attackers came in sight of their objective. To reach the objective, namely the HINDENBURG LINE, two sunken roads had to be crossed, at which considerable resistance was offered, but was soon overcome, a machine gun and several prisoners being captured at the first. Between the first and second sunken roads the attackers came under fire from several machine guns, which, together with the shelling, formed a considerable barrage. The advance continued up to the enemy's wire but by this time the ranks of the attackers were consderably depleted. The wire was found to be damaged but not cut sufficiently to allow troops to enter the trenches. The few unwounded men left took cover in all available shell holes, but eventally had to retire to the sunken road running from NEUVLLE VITASSE to ST.MARTIN sur COJEUL where they dug in on the Eastern bank. The enemy's artillery immediately commenced to shell this road heavily with shells of large calibre, causing further casalties. By this time most of the officers had become casualties, only three remaining, 2/Lts HC Clark, FJ London and TW Glynn. These officers collected all the unwounded men, 90 in all, and consoldated the position. Some little time afterwards two companies of the 19th Manchester Regt. arrived in support, and also dug in on the same road. This position was held until the evening, when two companies of the 16th Manchesters came up and took over the position. After relief the remnant of the battalion marched back to SWITCH LANE, south of MERCATEL. Total casualties sustained in the attack not counting those previously sustained in the attack on the MILL was 5 officers killed, 9 wounded. CWGC figures for the day are 133 killed, 35 of them with no identified grave and commemorated on the Arras memorial
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