Pte 269812 Edward Bannister Bowyer

• Age: 35
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Edward Bannister Bowyer known as “Ted”was born on 17th December 1880 and he was baptised on 03rd December 1881 at St Peter's Church, Liverpool. the son of Thomas Charles and Jane Bowyer who were married on the 15th April 1872 at St. John The Baptist, Toxteth. Thomas was a 23 year old boat builder from 130 Mann St, Jane was 22 from Park St.

The 1881 Census finds the family living at 5 Bembridge Street, Toxteth Park.

Ted is recorded as a newborn living with his parents and elder sister. His father is shown as a block maker born in Liverpool in 1848, whilst his mother was born in Lancaster in 1851. His sister Alice was born in Liverpool in 1874 and is a scholar.  

He was enrolled into St Paul's Infant School in 1885. 

On 1891 Census Ted is a scholar aged 10 living with his parents and two sisters at Fair View Place, Toxteth Park.

Both parents are in the household and his elder sister Alice is shown as a domestic servant. He has a younger sister Jane born in Liverpool in 1887. Alos in the property are a family of four named Baines. 

The 1901 Census finds Ted living as a boarder at the home of Richard Fairhurst and family at 17 Langdale Street, Liverpool.

He is 20 years of age and employed as a pawnbroker's assistant. 

The father died aged 54 in 1903 and was buried at Toxteth Park Cemetery on the 8th May, his address 24 Paulton St.

He married Mary Mills Blackwell in the September quarter of 1910 at St Philip, Litherland.

The 1911 census finds the newly wed couple living at 29 Malta Street, Bootle.

Ted is now 30 years of age and is employed as a pawnbrokers salesman. Mary is shown as having been born in Seaforth, Liverpool in 1885.

They have two children; Edward Blackwell born in the March quarter of 1914 and Walter Alfred born in the December quarter of 1915. Saldy, Walter died on February 16th  1916 aged 4 months.

Ted enlisted or was conscripted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 269812 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 36 during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). 

18^th Battalion

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo 2nd Nov 1917:

A MISSING KIRKDALE SOLDIER

Private Edward (Ted) Bowyer of the K.L.R. who went to France at the end of March is reported missing since July 31. He is supposed to have been shot in the head. Any information will be thankfully received by his wife at 68 Stanley Road, Kirkdale.

The People 9th Feb 1919

BOWYER, Pte E.B. (Ted), 269812, 18th King's Liverpool's 3rd Co. Reported missing July 31, 1917. Last seen wounded in the head in trench outside Inverness Copse. Write: Mrs Bowyer, 68 Stanley Road, Kirkdale, Liverpool.

He is also commemorated on the family headstone of his in laws in Kirkdale Cemetery, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool.

Soldiers Effects to widow Mary M.

Pension record to Mary M. and child Edward Blackwell Bowyer

Probate records show the following entry on 20th February 1919:

BOWYER Edward Bannister of 68 Stanley Road, Liverpool, Private 7th (sic) Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment died 31st July 1917 in France. Administration Liverpool 20th February to Mary Mills Bowyer, widow. Effects £283, 18s 6d. 

Widow Mary M., dob 26th Aug 1884, appears on the 1939 register with son Edward B. at 45 Hatton Hill Rd, Litherland.

She died aged 97 in 1982 in Surrey.

The mother Jane died aged 79 in 1929.

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