Name
Thomas Henry Dowler
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/07/1916
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
4/6256
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hertford Town Memorial, All Saints Church Memorial, Hertford, St Mary’s Church Memorial, Rushden, Not on the Baldock memorials
Pre War
Thomas Henry Dowler was born in 1892 in Morton Street, Baldock, Hertfordshire, the son of Thomas and Susan Dowler (nee Webster), and baptised on 24 July 1892 in Baldock. His father had been born in Rushden and his mother in Norwich.
On the 1891 census the family had been living in Baldock but they have not yet been found on the 1901 census. At the time of the 1911 Census, Thomas was a boarder and living at 31 Frampton Street, Hythe, Kent with the Stocker family. His parents were then living in Mill End, Rushden, Herts.
He married Annie Costin in 1914 in Hertford and they lived at 5 Green Street, Hertford. Their son Thomas John was born on 5 November 1914. He was living in Rushden, Herts at the time of enlistment.
Wartime Service
Thomas Henry Dowler enlisted in Hertford and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, serving in France from 2 February 1915, three months after his brother Walter was killed. He was initially posted to the 4th (Reserve) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment as 4/6256 but later transferred into the 1st Battalion, 15th. Brigade, 5th Division.
During 1915 the battalion was involved in action at ‘Neuve Chapelle’ ‘Hill 60’ ‘Ypres’ ‘St. Julien’ ‘Frezenburg’ ‘Bellewaarde’ ‘Aubers’ and ‘Festubert’.
Early 1916 brought a quieter time with the battalion moving down to trenches in the Arras area, then in the build up to the Battle of the Somme things were moving and constant shelling was experienced. The Bedfords were called to action during the month of July and the 25-28th proved fatal for many in the area of Longueval.
*Details from ‘The 16th Foot’, The history of the Beds and Herts. Regiment by Major General Sir F. Maurice (1931) and ‘The Somme Day by Day’ by Chris McCarthy.
Thursday July 27th. Temperature 81. F. Hazy, becoming clearer in the afternoon with some rain.
XVCorps, 5th. Division. 15th. Brigade.
15th. Brigade were on the left of 99th. Brigade with 1/Norfolks in front and 1/Bedfords in support, the Norfolks advanced well forward in Delville Wood and the Bedfords carried on the advance linking up with 99th. Brigade. Longueval proved harder and the enemy held on to the northern portion of the village.
The line reached by the 15th. after part of the 16th. Royal Warwicks had been absorbed into the fight, ran S.W. from the N.W. portion of Delville Wood, leaving the orchards near the junction of Duke Street and Piccadilly in the hands of the enemy.
At 9:30 am. the Germans counter-attacked and, at length, got in behind Princes Street and forced the right of the line to fall back a little and face N.E. Sniping and bombing continued throughout the day. That night 17th. Middlesex and 2nd. South Staffs (6th Brigade) took over 99th. Brigade front and 15th. Brigade was relieved by 95th Brigade. During those dreadful three days 9 officers and 303 ‘other ranks’ were casualties. "
Thomas was killed in action on 27 July 1916, aged 24, and, coincidentally, he died alongside George Hagger of Wallington, William Moody of Sandon and Sydney Bullard of Therfield on the same day in that same action. May they all rest in peace.
Thomas has no known grave as his body was not recovered for burial, but his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial (Panel 2C), France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £12 and pay owing of £13 16s 7d. She also received a pension of 16s a week for herself and her son. This was later increased to £1 1s 3d a week, but reduced to 16s 3d a week when her son Thomas sadly died on 11 December 1917. Annie later lived at Bell Bar, North Mimms, Herts.
Brother of Walter Dowler who served with the Royal Field Artillery and died on 18 November 1914 and who is also named on the St Mary's Church Memorial, Rushden.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Malcolm Lennox, Jean Handley
