Jun 6, 1897
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Born to John
Thomas and Jane Burgess (nee Granger) Bowyer in Strathcona, Ontario
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Oct 22, 1914
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Shown on the
payroll of the 15th Regiment, Argyll Light Infantry
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Nov 7, 1914
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Attested into
the 21st Battalion at Kingston Ontario
Ø Number 59086 (temporary number 840)
Ø Next of kin given as Mrs Jane T Bowyer, mother, of 3 Meyers St,
Belleville, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Labourer
Ø Previous military experience given as 15th Regiment, Argyll
Light Infantry at Belleville, Ontario
Ø Religion given as Church of England
Ø Assigned to “H” Company
o This was later reorganized into “D” Company
o He was later transferred to the Scout Section
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Nov 10, 1914
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Removed from the
15th Regiment’s roll
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS
Metagama at Montreal Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked at
Devonport, England and proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St
Seiriol at Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked at
Boulogne, France and proceeded to St Omer
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Oct 3, 1915
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While on a night
patrol in no man’s land, Pte Bowyer received bullet wound to his back in the vicinity
of his right kidney and died almost instantly. He
was the first fatal casualty of the 21st Battalion, and possibly the first in
the 4th Brigade. However, there
was a fatal casualty in the 19th Battalion on the same day, and I have been
unable to determine which occurred first. Each
Battalion laid claim to the first combat death of the Brigade.
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Oct 4, 1915
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Pte Bowyer was
buried with full military honours by his comrades, along with Pte Starkey who had been
killed shortly after Bowyer on the same day. They
were buried alongside each other in the St Quentin
Cabaret Military Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Belgium
Following the war the
1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll
were sent to his father, JJ Bowyer, at Belleville, Ontario
The Memorial Cross
was sent to his mother, Mrs JJ Bowyer, at the same address
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