Name
Arthur Joseph Fowler
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/08/1917
38
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20776
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NEW IRISH FARM CEMETERY
XXXI. A. 15.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
PEACE PERFECT PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Little Gaddesden Village Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Little Gaddesden, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour (2018 Revision), Little Gaddesden
Pre War
Arthur Joseph Fowler was born in Wards Hurst, Ivinghoe, Bucks, the youngest child of John and Susan Fowler and baptised at St Mary the Virgin, Edlesborough on 27 July 1879.
On the 1881 Census, the family were living at Wards, Ivinghoe where his father was an agricultural labourer and his elder sister Martha (aged 12) was a straw plaiter. They had moved to 10 Ringshall, (later renumbered 23 Ringshall) by 21 May 1883 as Arthur was listed as starting school at Little Gaddesden on that day. On 21 April 1890 he had achieved a Certificate of Proficiency which allowed him to leave school and go to work. He was then about 11 years old and was named, with others as working at Home Farm. Children would return to school between the periods of work. Arthur was back at school for a month from 2 June and for another month from 29 September 1890. He left school permanently on 27 October 1890 to work on the Farm and on the 1891 Census he was a 12 year old Farm Labourer living at home with his parents at 26 Ringshall Road, Ivinghoe He remained living with his parents on the 1901 Census, at which time they were living at No. 10 Little Gaddesden, but was then a labourer in the Ashridge Estate Timber Yard.
In the summer of 1909 he married Priscilla Holloway in Aylesbury and on the 1911 Census they were living at 10 Ringshall where he was working as a Wood Sawyer in the Estate timber Yard. Their daughter Kate was born on 30 July 1911. His widow's address was later given as 60 Oxford Road, Stone, Aylesbury, Bucks.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Berkhamsted and served initially in the Suffolk Regiment before being transferred to the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry.
He was killed in action on 22 August 1917 during the 3rd Battle of Ypres (also known as Passchendaele), aged 38 and is buried in the New Irish Farm Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs Priscilla Fowler, Oxford Road, Stone, Nr. Aylesbury, ordered his headstone inscription: “PEACE PERFECT PEACE ”. His widow received a war gratuity of £4 10s and pay owing of £1 15s 1d. She was also granted probate of his estate in 1921 with effects of £147 8s 3d. She received a pension of 18s 9 d a week for herself and her child.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org., littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk
