13 March 1915 : Pte Christopher Richard Fowler

Dick Fowler was born 27 February 1893 in Hackney, London

Location of Hackney in the north east of London (cc OpenStreetMap)

Dick, as Christopher was known to friends and family, was the son of parents Arthur and Laura (née Pauling). Arthur Fowler ran a letterpress printing business. At the 1901 Census the family lived on St.Mary's Road, Willesden. At the time the parents and six children also had a live in domestic servant. He was eventually one of nine children. 

Mayfield College, Sussex 1914

He was educated at Xaverian College, Mayfield, Sussex and St. Edmund’s College, Old Hall, Ware.

A keen sportsman, Dick played cricket and football for Neasden Sports Clubs.

At the 1911 Census, age 18, Dick was living in Willesden at 22 Craven Park Road with the family and working as an apprenticed Printer and Bookbinder through the Stationers’ Company which his father owned. Nine of them lived in an eleven roomed house: parents, six children and a housemaid.

12 Grange Park in 2008  (c) Google Street View  2021

At the time of enlistment the family were living at 12 Grange Park, Ealing. 

Dick enlisted on the outbreak of war in the Honourable Artillery Company. His enthusiasm and skill at football continued becoming ‘the heart and soul of the battalion football team’. 

The 1st Bn HAC served in France from 18 September 1914. 

During an attack on a German position on 13 March at around 4:30pm Dick was hit in the head by machine gun fire. He was returned, unconscious, by stretcher to the dressing station. He was seen by the clergyman Mr Peacey. 

Loker Churchyard photographed by WernerVC  (cc) CC BY-SA 4.0

Dick Fowler is buried in Loker Churchyard, Heuvelland nine miles from Ypres.

Pte Christopher 'Dick' Fowler No.1465 1st Bn Honourable Artillery Company

Sources; De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, England Census Returns of 1901, 1911, Middlesex County Times, 31 March 1915; UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War; Global, Find a Grave Index.