THOSE REMEMBERED ON THE FALFIELD WAR MEMORIAL WHO DIED DURING THE 1914-18 WAR
THOSE REMEMBERED ON THE FALFIELD WAR MEMORIAL WHO DIED DURING THE 1914-18 WAR
ARTHUR EDWARD MOWER
ARTHUR EDWARD MOWER
Date Born
Circa 1881
Birth place:
Pontypridd
Date of Death:
2nd March 1919
Fate:
Unknown
Duty Location:
Far East
Buried:
Buried in the Haifa War cemetery, Haifa, Israel. Plot No: A.58.
Location Information
Haifa War Cemetery lies 3 kilometres from the central railway station on the Tel-
From the south on Highway 4, the cemetery is on the left hand side, just before shops and Haifa docks. 300 metres after the cemetery turn left into Dugit Street. Turn left at the traffic lights and the cemetery will now be on the right hand side, 300 metres after the lights.
Historical Information
Haifa was captured by the Mysore and Jodhpur Lancers on 23 September 1918 and the 33rd Combined Clearing Hospital was moved to the town on the 15 October. Haifa War Cemetery, which was originally part of the German cemetery, was used mainly for hospital burials, but some graves were brought in from the battlefields
Haifa was of great strategic importance during the Second World War because of its deep water harbour and airfield. It was also the terminus of the railway line from Egypt and of the Kirkuk-
Haifa War Cemetery now contains 305 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 86 of them unidentified. Second World War burials number 36.
Regiment:
272nd Railway Construction Company Royal Engineers
Rank:
Sapper
Service No:
57966 WR/286019
Military Information:
As the various campaigns and battles unfolded, RE Railway Companies were engaged all over the British sector, joined by Dominion RE Railway Companies. Close examination of the period maps bear testimony to miles of what was to be temporary track that criss-
A primary objective was always to take standard gauge railways as close to the front as possible, to lessen the demands on light railway systems, horsed transport and manpower. For the sappers, work could mean toiling around the clock, especially where lines had been cut by shellfire. Inevitably there were casualties; analysis of the records shows that 173 men from Railway Companies lost their lives. From just the two Regular Companies in 1914, there would be a total of forty-
Medals Awarded
The 1914/15 star campaign medal of the British Empire for his service in World War One.
This Star is identical to the 1914 Star in every respect except that the centre scroll bears the dates “1914-
Eligibility for the Victory Medal consisted of having been mobilised, fighting, having served in any of the theatres of operations, or at sea, between midnight 4th/5th August, 1914, and midnight, 11th/12th November, 1918. Women who served in any of the various military organisations in a theatre of operations were also eligible.
The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the 1st World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in silver and 110,000 in bronze, the latter awarded to, among others, the Chinese, Maltese and Indian Labour Corps
The 1914/15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred. With Pip representing either the 1914/15 Star or the 1914 Star, only one of which could be awarded to a soldier, Squeak represented the British War Medal and Wilfred represented the Victory Medal.
MEMORIAL PLAQUE
The Next of Kin Memorial Plaque is a bronze plaque approximately 11 cms or 4½ inches diameter with the name of someone who died serving with the British and Empire forces in the First World War. This was issued to the Next of Kin of the casualty along with a scroll. They were posted out separately, typically in 1919 and 1920, and a ‘King’s message’ was enclosed with both, containing a facsimile signature of the King.
The immediate next of kin of all who died serving with the British and Empire forces in the First World War were eligible to receive the plaque and scroll. With nearly a million dead for the British Army alone, the plaques are today still commonly found; the fragile scrolls survive less often. Some of those recorded by plaques and scrolls were not eligible for service medals, for instance, those who did not serve overseas but who died in service through accident or illness.
Family:
Married Sarah Hill from Stinchcombe in 1909. They had three children Edwin Arthur born 09/02/1910 and Mary Eileen born 19/08/1913 and Ronald William James born 08/12/1915. There are records of Eileen and Ronald being baptised in St George’s Church, Falfield.
Other Information:
The 1911 census records Arthur, Sarah and Edwin living with Sarah’s uncle, William Hill age 83 at Newport, Nr Berkeley. The 1911 census and the baptism record for Mary Eileen records Arthur’s profession as a Plate layer for the Severn & Wye Midland and GWR Midland. At the time Mary Eileen was baptised the family were living in Moorslade Lane, Falfield. Arthur and Sarah also had a son Ronald William James who was baptised in Falfield on 29th September 1916. In the left hand column of the register the date born has been enter at 8th December 1916 and in fact should be 8th December 1915.
Credits: St George’s Church Baptism and Burial Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Ancestry website, forces-
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