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Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916


CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916


Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916


Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916


Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft

Pte 94195 Andrew Bowman


  • Age: 31
  • From: Moreton, Cheshire
  • Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
  • K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
  • Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
    Panel Ref: Panel 31-34
Andrew Bowman was born in 1887 in Runcorn, the son of  Alexander Bowman and his wife Ann Bainbridge (nee Makinson) who were married in 1882 at All Saints Church, Runcorn. He was baptised on the 17th July 1887 also at All Saints Church, Runcorn. 

On the 1891 Census the family were living at 39 Albert Street, Runcorn. His father Alexander is aged 34 and a rope maker born in Liverpool, his mother Ann is aged 30 and was also born in Liverpool. They have five children in the household who were all born in Runcorn; Albert 10, Ada 8, Alice 5, Andrew 3 and Annie 11 months.
 
On the 1901 Census the family are still living at 39 Albert Street, Runcorn. His father Alexander is shown as aged 43 and still employed as a rope maker, his mother Ann is aged 40. They have five children declared in the household; Albert 20 an apprentice printers compositor, Alice 15, Andrew is 13 and Annie 10, and Arthur 8.
 
By the 1911 census Andrew is aged 23 and working as a waggoner at Wood Farm, Dunham Hill, nr Warrington.
 
He married widow Mary Jane Goldsmith (nee Morris) on the 20th June 1915 at Christ Church, Moreton, Cheshire. His wife Mary had previously married William Goldsmith in 1903 who died in 1908 aged 29. They had a son Robert Leslie Goldsmith in 1905.

He enlisted in Hoylake, Cheshire andserved originally as 44223, Cheshire Regiment and following a transfer was serving in the 17th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 94195 when he was killed in action on the 29th April 1918 aged 31 during the German Spring Offensive. Details of the action were recorded in the battalion diary:

By the 25th April the battalion had taken up positions of readiness in the Voormezeele sector. According to the battalion War Diary, on the night of the 27th, at 8.30 p.m. they moved to the line to relieve 4th Bn, relief completed about 1 a.m.

28th – At about 1 p.m. a company of composite battalion gave way on the left of our line and the Bosche penetrated from the Canal Bank to the left of my battalion front, which position he maintained despite 5 hours fighting. My reserve company was ordered to counter-attack and restore the position at 7.45 p.m. but enemy laid down a barrage at 7.43 a.m. and the counter attack was unable to proceed. The enemy bombardment lasted until 10.30 p.m. and I then organised a defensive flank.

29th – At 3.30 a.m. heavy enemy bombardment opened, followed later (9.00 a.m.) by enemy attack and our line was forced back to G.H.Q.1 where I organised and held on to the position. The enemy got through on both flanks practically surrounding 2 of my companies. ‘A’ company was actually surrounded and after severe fighting were captured.

Andrew's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 12th June 1918:

BOWMAN - April 29, killed in action, Pte ANDREW BOWMAN, K.L.R., the beloved husband of Mary Bowman, Brookland Cottage, Moreton. - His sorrowing Wife and Leslie. 
 
He was remembered on the first anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Daily Post on 29th April 1919:

BOWMAN - In loving memory of my dear husband, Private ANDREW BOWMAN, K.L.R., killed in action April 29, 1918.
Dear to memory than words can tell
Are the thoughts of one I loved so well.
Forgotten by some in this world you may be,
But never one moment forgotten by me
- Sadly missed by his Wife and Son, Tong Norton, near Shifnal, late of Brookland Cottage, Moreton.

CWGC states he was the husband of Mary Jane Bowman, of 10, Tong Norton, Shifnal, Salop.
 
Soldiers Effects to widow Mary J., Pension to Mary J. and child Robert Leslie Goldsmith.
 
By the 1921 census widow Mary and Robert had returned to Shifnal, Salop (she was born in Shrewsbury). 

On the 1939 register Mary, date of birth 10th October 1877, is at 1 The Almshouses, Tong, Shiffnal.

Robert died in 1941 aged 36, possibly war related
Mary died in 1956 aged 79. 

We currently have no further information on Andrew Bowman, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

Killed On This Day.

(110 Years this day)
Wednesday 19th April 1916.
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Thursday 19th April 1917.
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Thursday 19th April 1917.
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Thursday 19th April 1917.
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Friday 19th April 1918.
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