Name
Wilfrid Edwin Stowell
1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/03/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Leinster Regiment
2nd Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panel 78
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St Edmunds College Memorial, Old Hall Green, Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, Harpenden, Not on the Radlett Memorials
Pre War
Wartime Service
Biography
Wilfred Edwin Stowell was born in 1890 in Wimbledon, Surrey, the son of Anthony and Lily Stowell. The family were living in Wimbledon on both the 1891 and 1901 Censuses where his father was an Inspector for the London and Country Bank. His mother had died in 1893 and his father remarried the following year. He attended St Edmund's College, Ware, Herts. By 1911 the family had moved to Bognor where they were living at "Loretto" on the Esplanade and Wilfred was working as a Bank Clerk. He married Emily Agnes Longstaff in Chelsea in 1913. Their address was given as Hurstwood, Haywards Heath, Sussex on the probate application.
Wilfred Edwin Stowell was born in 1890 in Wimbledon, Surrey, the son of Anthony and Lily Stowell. The family were living in Wimbledon on both the 1891 and 1901 Censuses where his father was an Inspector for the London and Country Bank.
His mother had died in 1893 and his father remarried the following year. He attended St Edmund's College, Ware, Herts. By 1911 the family had moved to Bognor where they were living at "Loretto" on the Esplanade and Wilfred was working as a Bank Clerk. He married Emily Agnes Longstaff in Chelsea in 1913. Their address was given as Hurstwood, Haywards Heath, Sussex on the probate application.
Wilfrid, was not released for service until July of 1916 when he initially joined the Buffs, then later a Cadet Battalion at Kennel Park, Rhyl, and was commissioned to the 2nd Leinster Regiment.
He served in France from 29 October 1917. The following year, on 22 March, he was killed, instantaneously by a sniper. However his body must have later been lost or not identified as his name is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.
The following text was transcribed from the The Edmundian (1814-1819) – The contemporary magazine of St Edmund’s College:
The many friends, here and elsewhere, of these two brothers will be full of sympathy for their relatives, who have sustained this double loss in the space of less than six months.
Before the war, they were both at the London County and Westminster Bank, where the name of Stowell is among the best known, both of them took their places in the Army as soon as they could be released from their civilian work.
Like so many who have found themselves at the price of their lives in the cause of their country, these two had none of those qualities which, according to earlier baseless standards, bespoke the born soldier, They were just nice quiet well-spoken boys, the friends of all and the enemies of none Always together, and it is not ever so with brothers at school, yet not secluded from the community of their fellows.
The elder, Cuthbert joined the Buffs in December 1915. After six months service with that Regiment he went to a Cadet School at Pirbright, and was thence commissioned to the King's Own Royal Lancs. Regiment, and soon after went to France.
On November 20th he was killed, by a shell-burst, at a time when the line was comparatively quiet.
The younger, Wilfrid, was not released for service until July of 1916, In 1913 he married. It was what we are pleased to call an Edmundian marriage, for Wilfrid's wife (who has, what none could ever refuse, all our sympathy), is sister to the Longstaffs, of whom we number three among our boys.
After his brother's example, Wilfrid joined the Buffs: joined later a Cadet Battalion at Kennel Park, Rhyl, and was commissioned to the 2nd Leinster Regiment. He crossed to France in October. On March 22nd of this year he was killed, instantaneously by a sniper.
Additional Information
The Chapel in Our Lady of Lourdes, Harpenden is dedicated to Wilfred and also contains a dedicated window and plaque that reads:
"Pray For The Soul OF Wilfred Stowell 2nd Lieut: 2nd Lemster Regt: Killed In Action March 22nd 1918. R.I.P.
This Chapel Was Erected In Memory Of Him By His Widow."
Probate was granted to his widow Emily Agnes Stowell on 22 May 1918 with effects of £1069 15s 1d.
Administrator of his estate, John Maquire Esq, received pay owing of £100 6s 6d including a war gratuity of £6.
His older brother Robert Cuthbert Stowell died on 20 November 1917 in France. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Kings Own (Lancaster Regiment), 1st Bn and is buried in Monchy British Cemetery, Monchy-Le-Preux, France.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Di Vanderson, The Edmundian (1814-1819) – The contemporary magazine of St Edmund’s College
