Name
Alfred Charles Garrett (Garrie) Fowler
17th June 1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/09/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Royal Air Force
215 Squadron
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Stained Glass Window, Hitchin Boys Grammar School, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
Alfred was known as Garrie and he was born in Hitchin, Herts on the 17th June 1899, his parents were Alfred and Fanny Fowler.
Garrie attended the Hitchin Grammar School Kindergarten before progressing to the senior school, staying at the school from 1907-1913. He later went to the East Anglian School in Bury St. Edmund's.
In 1901 the family were living at the Hitchin Union Workhouse, Union Road, Hitchin, where his father (also Alfred) was the master of the workhouse and his mother Fanny was the matron. Present – referring only to the family - were both parents Alfred (49) and Fanny (40) and children Constance (10), Bernard Phillip (7), Christabel Ann (4) and Alfred Charles Garrett Fowler (1).
Garrie and attended the Hitchin Grammar School Kindergarten before progressing to the senior school, staying at the school from 1907-1913. He later went to the East Anglian School in Bury St. Edmund's.
By 1911 the family were living at 24 Chiltern Road, Hitchin, Herts. Present were both parents, Alfred now recorded as a retired workhouse master and an estate agent. The census recorded they had been married for 21 years with 4 children all living. All the children listed above were present except Christabel.
Before his war service commenced he was, between August 1916 and April 1917, an a Electrical Engineering Student, at a Polytechnic, Regent Street London W1, and in his second year. It is possible that it was during this period that trained as a W/T Operator with the R.N.V.R (Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve) at Crystal Palace, but perhaps this came later.
Wartime Service
Two service records have been found, for his Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) and his RAF officer service.
The first relates to his initial enlistment on 14 June 1917, and he was recorded as 6’ 2” with dark brown hair, blue eyes with a fresh complexion, with his occupation as SC & T Post Office. He started his training on training establishment H.M.S. Victory VI and was there as an Ordinary Seaman from 24 July 1917 to 27 October 1917, when he was released with the expectation of obtaining a commission and probationary Flight Officer intention to become and officer and this was confirmed on the 28 October 1917. At that is probably when he then joined the R.N.A.S (Royal Naval Air Service) – RAF not being formed until 1 April 1918.
In his RAF service record, he gave his home address as Lyndon, Tottington, Bury, Lancs. With his sister, now Mrs Constance Bourne living at Lyndon Tottington, Bury, Lancs. Named to be notified, if Garrie became a casualty and the this wa amended to his sister? Miss B P Fowler – could this have been his brother Bernarp Phillip? with the address amended to Wintercott, Kebworth, Herts.
He went to Greenwich on 28 October 1917, Marston 8 December 1917 for instruction, and back to Cranwell on 30 March 1918. On the formation of the RAF (1/4/1918) Garrie was a probationary Acting Flight Lieutenant on 1 April 1918, t Acting Flight Lieutenant 1 May 1918.
Garrie joined the 213rd Squadron 7 July 1918 and was reported missing on 21 September 1918.
He was brought down and killed whilst flying over the enemy aerodrome of Fresksty near Metz. Second Lieutenants J.S. Ferguson and C.C. Eaves were also killed, with aeroplane reports as coming down in flames. They was flying a new Handley Page HP 0/400 with 215 Squadron based at Xaffevillers South East of Nancy. A report of the 7th October 1918 stated that he was missing, and his death was confirmed some weeks later.
According to a report at the time issued by German Authorities to the Prisoner of War Agency in Switzerland, he was buried in the military cemetery in Metz "marked so that it could be found by the family", but the Commonwealth War Graves Commission states that he has no known grave.
No. 215 Squadron RAF was formed in France on 1 April 1918 by renumbering No. 15 squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service. Soon after the squadron became part of the Royal Air Force it returned to England to re-equip with the Handley Page O/400 before returning to France as part of the Independent Air Force.
His sister Constance received a letter from Lieutenant F P Armitage, it read: “Your brother unfortunately was one of the squadrons missing on September 20th. The ‘A.C.G.’, as he was called by the boys in the mess, was one of the most popular chaps here, and although he did not come out with the original squadron, was looked upon by the few that are left, as part and parcel of that original crowd. I lived in the same hut as he, and, inconsequence, was one of his greatest pals. As a pilot he was superb, and was among the best that it has been my pleasure, as an observer, to fly with.”
Additional Information
Garrie is commemorated in a book written by his Great Niece Christine Hunt, and called "Handley Page O/400 Night Bomber Pilot - "A Brave Aviator and a Gentleman" (ISBN: 9781732188310). This book was given away free and is a wonderful tribute to the man. It is available online as an eBook - one location is here.
He had an older brother Corporal B P Fowler, A.S.C. (M.T.) serving. His sister was Mrs Hubert Moss.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
