Name
Leslie Arthur Dowse
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
105858
21st Lancers
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Leslie Dowse was born in the Spring of 1897 at Abbots Langley, the eldest of three sons born to Arthur and Lillie Dowse. Arthur worked as a Decorator, and at the time of the 1911 Census the family lived at 14 Marlin Square, Abbots Langley, having moved from 2 Temple Villas, where they lived at the time of the 1901 Census.
Leslie’s Service Record indicated that he embodied with the 3/1st Herts Yeomanry on 10th October 1915, but was not posted (to the 1/1st Hertfordshire’s) until 16th September 1916. The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour recorded Leslie for the first time in November 1915, indicating that he was serving with the Hertfordshire Yeomanry.
On 16th September 1916 Leslie embarked for Mesopotamia, disembarking on 6th November 1916, and joining his unit at Kut al Amara on 15th November. His Service Record showed that he was admitted to Hospital soon after arrival, on 21st December, and not discharged to his unit until 25th January 1917. The reason for this has not been identified.
On 5th May 1917 Leslie was once again admitted to Hospital, this time at Baghdad. This time he was suffering from diarrhoea, and was admitted to 32 Base Hospital at Amara on 25th May, and returned again on 27th May, again suffering from diarrhoea. On 23 July, he was re-admitted to hospital, this time to the British General Hospital at Kut al Amara. He was later invalided to India on the Hospital Ship HS “Erinpura”, sailing from Tanuma.
On 18th October 1919 Leslie embarked at Bombay, and was demobilised from the India Theatre of War Dispersal Unit on 12th December 1919. Leslie was recorded in the Absent Voter Records for Autumn 1918, and Spring and Autumn 1919. Leslie’s Medal Roll Card noted that in 1924 he applied for his India General Service Medal with Clasp and Afghanistan 1919 Medal, and gave his address as “c/o Messrs John Dickinson & Co Ltd, Mercantile Buildings, Post Box 45, Calcutta, India”. It is not known why he was associated with John Dickinson & Co Ltd, or whether he returned to India after the War.
Leslie Dowse survived the War. He was related to many of the Dowse family from the local area who served in the Great War.
Additional Information
Formerly 2620, Hertfordshire Yeomanry
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
