Name
William Charles Henry Mower
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/05/1915
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Serjeant
3180
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st/1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 47.
France
Headstone Inscription
Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Essendon Village Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Essendon, Hertingfordbury Village Memorial, Church of St Mary and St John Church Roll of Honour, Hertingfordbury, Birch Green Village Memorial, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
William was born in 1889 in Yoxford, Suffolk. Son of Frederick George and Lydia Sarah Mower. He was baptised on the 14th July 1889 in the Parish of Saxmundam, Suffolk.
The 1891 census shows William aged 1 year living with his Parents at Little Street, Yoxford, Suffolk and the 1901 census shows William aged 11 years living with his Parents, 2 Brothers and Sister at The Park, Hessett, Stow, Suffolk. The 1911 census shows William aged 21 years and single living at Holwell House, Hatfield, Herts.
He is the head of the house hold and had one boarder a Harry A Clarke aged 21 years (Harry joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, and held the rank of Sergeant, Harry was awarded the Military Medal. He was Killed in Action on the 3rd May 1917 at the Battle of Arras). They were both Gardeners.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in Hertford, into the 1st/1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment, with the service number 3180. He disembarked in France in January 1915.
William was Killed in Action on the 18th May 1915, at the Battle of Festubert (15th May to 25th May 1915). William has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, Panel 47.
The Essendon Parish Magazine for July 1915 had the following item in it. “We regret that news has been received that Corporal W Mower, 1st Hertfordshire Regiment has been killed in Action. A Native of Drinkstone, Suffolk. Mower had lived in this District for 12 years having been employed in the Gardens at Holywell Manor (Holwell Manor), afterwards at Holwell House. He joined at the start soon after war broke out and must have done well to gain promotion so soon”.
A letter from Sergeant George Chester Writes: Corporal Mower was killed on the 18th May 1915. "He was a great friend to us all and was well liked. He met his death like a British Soldier and was a credit to his native land."
Additional Information
Listed as a corporal on the regimental memorial. His personal inscription on the headstone reads: “Son of Mrs Lydia Sarah Mower of New Villa, Market Weston, Diss, Norfolk”.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Sue and Colin Rees, Stuart Osborne, Malcolm Lennox
