Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : 2nd Lieutenant

Army Number : 10108

Unit : 1/4th Bn

Biography :

Educated at Wyggeston School and at Kent College, Canterbury, Ellis Bowes was aged 16 when the First World War broke out and was in Germany learning the language. On return to England he was employed as a munition worker until old enough to enlist in 1917, as Private 10108 in the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps. From there he was trained at the 21st Officer Cadet Battalion at Crookham, Aldershot, and was commissioned into The Leicestershire Regiment in September 1917, and served in 1/4th Bn, entering France in December. Killed in Action by a sniper near Annequin (in the Cambrin South Sector, Nord-Pas-de-Calais) on 12.3.1918, aged 19. He is buried at Épehy Wood Farm Cemetery, Épehy, Somme, France. This photograph of his headstone was taken by his grandson Adam Roscoe on the centenary day of his death.
Ellis Bowes' name is on the War Memorial of St Mary Magdalene Church, Knighton, Leicester, St Peter's Church, Highfield, Leicester and on the Wyggeston Grammar School memorial. He was the elder brother of Major K R Bowes MBE TD DL and uncle of Major J R E Bowes, of the Regiment. He has a paper file in The National Archives, ref WO 374/8073.

-----------------------------------

Newspaper Cutting - Leicester Mercury Oct 1914

LEICESTER BOY IN GERMANY

DOES NOT ANTICIPATE DIFFICULTIES

"EVERYTHING IS SO PEACEFUL"

Mr R A Bowes, Chairman of John Coy, Ltd. Wellington Street, Leicester, has received a letter from his sixteen-year-old son who is living at a town in Saxony. The letter that came through the British Consulate-General at Rotterdam, and was received on Wednesday, relieved the anxiety of Mr Bowes, who had not heard from his boy since the week before August Bank Holiday, when he wrote from Warnermunde on the Baltic coast where he was spending a holiday. The following is a copy of the original letter:

"My dear father, I am delighted that you are all quite well and happy. I am not worried about you but have thought about you often, and hoped you would not worry about me.

"This is not a military centre, and everything here is very quiet. I am well and happy and receive the kindest treatment possible. My host has made himself responsible for me, and I am under control, i.e. the authorities know that I am here. As I am only sixteen years old, I do not anticipate any difficulties, The weather is beautiful and everything here is so peaceful, that it seems difficult to imagine there is a war going on. I spend most of my time in the garden, and have written and spoken so much German, that I find much difficulty in writing English once more.

"I hope this epistle will reach you, if it does not, I shall try to write in German. I must now close. Please give my love to mother, Kathleen and Kenneth, and remember me to all relations and friends. My Host and Hostess send their kind regards.

"Much love, you affectionate son, Ellis"

--------------------------------------
Newspaper Cutting - Leicester Mercury March 1918

LOCAL CASUALTIES

SECOND-LIEUT E. A. BOWES KILLED

We regret to have to record that Second-Lieut. Ellis Arthur Bowes, of the Leicesters, son of Mr and Mrs R A Bowes, 18 Mecklenburg-street, was killed in action in France on March 12th. A message from his commanding officer, which conveyed the news to his parents, states that he was shot by a sniper in a front post. The young officer was home on leave a fortnight ago, only going back to the front on the 6th of this month. Second Leiut. Bowes was only 19 years of age, was educated at the Wyggeston School and at Canterbury. He was in Germany learning the language when war broke out, and was not allowed to leave the country until November 1914. When he got back to England he voluntarily went to munition work, and as soon as he was old enough joined the army. He commenced his training with the Inns of Court OTC in November 1916, and from there was sent to the 21st OCB being gazetted to the Leicesters in August last year. He spent a month with the reserves, and went to France in December last. General sympathy will be extended to his parents and relatives.

The Kent College school magazine of December 1917 identified Bowes as "probably our only Old Boy serving who was in Germany at the outbreak of war."
The College's WW1 and WW2 memorial book, published in 2016, records "His Commanding Officer wrote that Bowes' passing 'has left a shadow of gloom on all of us. His happy kindly nature, his keen sense of duty, his love for his men, all endeared him to the whole of his Company. A detachment of the Company saw the dear fellow to his last resting place, and we do all we can to look after the spot where he lies with other gallant fellows of our Brigade.' "

This page was last edited on 4.4.2019.

Date of Birth : 1898

Place of Birth : Leicester

Date of Death : 12.3.1918

Place of Death : Annequin, France

Civil Occupation : munition worker

Period of Service : 1917-18

Conflicts : WW1

Places Served : France