Charles Bertie Prowse

Charles Bertie Prowse joined the 2nd Battalion Somerset Light Infantry from the Militia on 12 December 1892. He served in the South African War (1899-1902), including a period as Adjutant of his battalion (November 1900-November 1904). He was Adjutant of the 1st Volunteer Battalion Somerset Light Infantry during its potentially sensitive transformation into the 4th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry, TF, (December 1904-March 1908; April 1908-December 1909). By August 1914 he had reached the rank of major and was serving with the 1st battalion of his regiment, with which he went to war as part of 11th Brigade, 4th Division. He took part in the early battles of the war and lent his name to a farm - Prowse Point - at Ploegstreet Wood, near Ypres.

On 19 January 1915 he was given command of 1st Battalion Leinster Regiment, part of 28th Brigade, in the newly established 27th [Regular] Division. His period as a battalion commander was short lived. On 29 April 1915 he returned to 4th Division as GOC 11th Brigade, which still contained his former battalion. He had risen from a 45-year-old junior major to brigadier-general in nine months. 4th Division played only a limited role in major operations during 1915, principally at First Ypres, but in 1916 it was deployed as part of VIII Corps for the opening of the Somme offensive. Like many other formations in VIII Corps, 11th Brigade met with disaster on 1 July.

Brigadier-General Prowse was mortally wounded by a German machine-gun firing from the Ridge Redoubt, north of Beaumont Hamel, after moving his brigade HQ into the former German front line trench, believing it clear of the enemy. All the brigade’s battalion commanders were also killed or wounded in the attack. The brigade major, Major W A T B Somerville, assumed temporary command. Prowse’s brother, Captain Cyril Prowse RN, had also been killed a month earlier in the explosion of his ship, HMS Queen Mary, at the Battle of Jutland.

Bertie Prowse is buried at Louvencourt Military Cemetery