Trooper Charles Henry Bowdery

Charles was born in Mitcham in 1891. His parents were John and Mary also known as Polly. John Bowdery, a General Labourer, was part of a large Mitcham family who had lived in the area for a number of generations. Charles was also known by his middle name Henry and sometimes as Harry. His siblings were Alfred aged 2, and his half sister Mary Hyder aged 4.

In 1901 the family were living at 2 Lavender Cottages. John was employed as an Agricultural Labourer, while Mary worked as a Laundress. The family had grown to include Alice aged 7, Ellen 5, William 3 and Robert 1. Charles was now aged 10.

Unfortunately his father John died later that year 1901 aged just 39. In 1902 Mary had Charles and his sister Ellen baptised at St Peter and St Paul Church.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 9 Sibthorpe Road, Mitcham, although Charles was not included in the Census. Mary had remarried to John Reed in 1903 and the couple had a daughter named Lily.

Charles, going by the name of Harry Bowdery married Alice Maud Mary Stairs at St Peter & Paul Church, on 19 April 1914, while the couple were living at 4 Miles Lane, Mitcham. At the end of the year the couple had a child, Henry George Albert Bowdery.

Charles attested on 13 May 1916 at Wimbledon, initially with the Royal East Kent Yeomanry. He was described as being 5ft 6in in height, weighing 132 lbs. He was 26 years of age and employed as a Carman, and the address given was 4 Miles Road, Mitcham. Charles later transferred to the Household Battalion as a Trooper. This infantry battalion was formed in September 1916 as part of the 4th Infantry Division and fought entirely on the Western Front. The battalion saw action in the Battle of Arras, and the Third Battle of Ypres.

Charles was with his unit on 12 October 1917 when the first day of the First Battle of Passchendaele took place. The unit was tasked with taking pillboxes and machine gun posts at Requette Farm. The men were already exhausted after fierce fighting at Poelkapelle, where they were reduced to eating abandoned German rations picked up among the dead. This battle was a German success, but was costly with high losses on both sides. British casualties in October 1917 were the highest to date. Sadly Charles lost his life on that day. He was initially reported as missing, but this report was updated to Killed In Action.

Charles is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium and is remembered locally on the Mitcham War Memorial.

His widow Alice married Robert Johnson in 1920, and died in 1984. It is likely that Charles is related to two other soldiers on this website – Alfred Allen Bowdery and Sydney Charles Bowdery.