Pte 58014 Philip James Fowle

In 1901 his parents, with six children, are living in Carshalton Road, Carshalton, Surrey.  His father is a 47 year old brassfounder’s representative born in Lambeth,Surrey, whilst his mother is 45 years of age and was born in London. Philip is 4 and his siblings are recorded as; Isabella E. aged 21 and a short hand typist to a seed merchant, Dora 19, Amy 15, Florence 13 and Victor 10.

On 11th September 1905 he was enrolled along with his brother Victor at Tamworth Road British Boys School in Croydon.

 

By 1911 they have moved to Eastbourne, where his parents are boarding house proprietors at Queen’s Mansions, 24 Royal Parade. His father is 57, his mother 55, sister Amy, 25, and Florence, 23, are assisting in the business.  Philip is 14, at school.

 

Philip enlisted in London joining the London Divisional Cyclist Company with the service number of 247. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for 26 months, enlisting in about January 1916, when he would have been 19 years old.

Following a transfer was serving in the 6th Platoon of the 17^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 58014 when he was killed in action on the 24^th March, 1918, aged 21, during the German Spring Offensive.

"The 17th & 18th King's of the 30th Division where in the neighbourhood of Verlaines on 24th March 1918 ...continuous Enemy Shell Fire and Machine Gun fire from 1.a.m the night of 23/24 th.  Dawn broke as usual with mist covering the ground. At 8 a.m the Enemy's guns shelled the front branches and shortly afterwards the Germans came on in strength. Step by Step disputing almost every yard of ground the Division fell back fighting all the way over the four miles of country to the Canal du Nord.  Officers and men were by now absolutely exhausted, for they had been fighting continuously for three days and nights."

Philip has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

He was initially reported Wounded and Missing on 24th March 1918. His name appeared in the list of Wounded in the Weekly Casualty List on 7th May 1918, however, his death was later accepted, for official purposes, as having occurred on or since 24th March 1918.

 

His sister Florence, 11 Station Parade, Kew Gardens, Surrey, contacted the International Red Cross hoping that Philip had been taken prisoner, but was informed in a reply of 12th June 1918 that they held no information on him.

 

Further enquiries were made, likely to the British Red Cross, on 2nd August 1918 and 20th November 1918.

 

Nine months after he was declared Missing, and after the war had ended, his parents were still hoping for  information.  They placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 31st December 1918:

“Missing - Information Wanted.  Private P.J. Fowle, 58014, B Company, 17th King’s Liverpool Regiment, officially reported wounded and missing March 24, 1918.  Last seen by comrade on attack on that day.  Any information from returned prisoners or others most gratefully received by his father Jas. Fowle, 34 Elstow Road, Bedford.”

 

It is not known when his family were informed that he was officially declared killed in action.

 

Philip’s Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £12, went to his father James. A pension card has not been found.

 

His mother appears to have died in 1934 and father died in 1948.

 

His brother Victor served in the Indian Cavalry Brigade, disembarked in France on 12/10/1914, later served in the R.A.S.C., and survived the war. 

 

Philip is commemorated on the following memorials;
 

Sutton War Memorial, Greater London

St. Leonard’s Church, Bedford.

 

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