Bowles, Wilfred Spencer
Second Lieut. W.S. Bowles. Prior to his entrance at King's College as a Theological student in October, 1914, Second Lieut. W.S. Bowles was educated at Victoria College, Jersey. While at Victoria he joined the College O.T.C. and represented his school at Bisley, 1912, 1913, and 1914, shooting for the Ashburton Shield (the Public Schools Challenge Shield). In 1914 he won the Elkington and Abadie Cups for shooting in school contests. He competed also as representative of Victoria College for the Haines Shield against Elizabeth College, Guernsey. During 1912, 1913, and 1914. During his last two years at school he was in the First Eleven for both Football and Hockey. When at King's he joined in October, 1914, the University of London O.T.C. resigning in June, 1915, when he enlisted in the Inns of Court O.T.C. In November, 1915, he was gazetted to the Essex regiment. In February, 1916, he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps with which he went to France on June 4th. Passing unscathed through the early days of the Push, he was reported killed in action at Mametz on July 10th, 1916. No definite information as to the manner of his death can be secured since those who could have supplied it were killed at the same time. As a member of the C.E.M.S. and of the Guild of Servers Mr. W.S. Bowles was a server at St. Martin's, Jersey, and later, when in England, at Holy Trinity, Stroud Green. A brother officer writes; "We always found him a good officer, always pleasant and liked by his brother officers and the men. The only consolation I can give you is that he died while leading his men in one of the worst fights that our Army has encountered." King's College Review Dec. 1916
Biographical
| Surname(s) | Bowles |
|---|---|
| First name(s) | Wilfred Spencer |
| Family details | Son of Tom Fred and Mary Alice Bowles of Les Rochettes, Pontac, St Clement's Jersey |
| Previous education | Victoria College, Jersey |
| College | King's College London and/or King's College London Hospital |
| Dates at college | 1914 |
| Dept / course | Faculty of Theology |
| Military unit | 3rd/5th Bttn Essex Regiment attached Machine Gun Corps |
| Date enlisted | November 1915 |
| War / conflict | World War One (1914-1918) |
| Campaigns | Gazetted to the Essex Regt in Feb 1916 transferred to France 4th June 1916 |
| Decorations / medals | Medals - 1918 Pair. (Societe Jersiaise) |
| Date of death | Wounded June 1916. Died 10 July 1916 |
| Age at death | 21 |
| Rank at death | Second Lieutenant |
| Place of death | Mametz |
| Cause of death | Killed in Action by a sniper in the attack on Contalmaison |
| Burial place | Buried in Mametz Wood then reburied Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz |
| Commemoration(s) | King's College Chapel, Roll of Honour, Jersey. |
| Sources | King's College London Archives; Commonwealth War Graves Commission; University of London OTC Roll of Fallen 1914/19; |
Further information
To contribute further information for this page, please click here to contact us ›
