David Dennys Fowler was accidentally killed on this day in 1917
David Dennys Fowler was born 20 June 1897, Seawall, Glenelg, South Australia. He was the son of James Fowler and Mary Harriet (née Morgan) - both were born in south Australia.
In 1898, his six year old brother died. At some point in the next year or so the family moved to England.
By the time of the 1901 Census, the 3 year old Dennys (as he was known) was at home with his parents at 44/46 Albert Gate, Knightsbridge. His father was a ‘merchant grocer’ (employer). In 1909, a younger brother James was born (by which time the family was living in Surrey).
At the 1911 Census, Dennys, age 13, was at Wavetree Hourse, a boarding prep-school, on Furze Hill Road, Hove, Brighton. The census sheet shows 20 boys ages 12 to 13, of whom two were born in India, and one, Dennys, born in Australia.
He then went to Harrow where he was part of the OTC, leaving in December 1914. Although war had broken out to he took up at place at Trinity College, Cambridge. He had only just matriculated when his mother died on 14 November 1915 in Wimbledon.
On 13 January 1916, Dennys applied to become a flying officer in the Royal Flying Corps. On 29 May 1916, he gained his Aero Certificate in a Maurice Farman Biplane at Military School, Catterick Bridge.
On 4 September 1916, Second Lieutenant David Dennys Fowler was posted to No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps at Heliopolis.
He was wounded on 5 October 1916 when his BE2c was hit by anti-aircraft fire while on reconnaissance. His observer, 2nd Lieut. J Hutchins escaped unhurt, while Dennys was sent to hospital in Tigne, Malta with a gun-shot wound to his left foot. In December 1916, he was invalided back to England and attached to No. 78 Squadron, R.F.C.
On the night of 17 March 1917, 2nd.Lieut. Fowler was flying a B.E.2 (Serial number 7181) on a Zeppelin patrol after an air raid. He was turning too near to the ground, causing the left wing tip to touch and the plane crashed about one and a half miles from Telscombe Cliffs Aerodrome. Dennys was killed.
He was buried in St.Margaret’s of Antioch Church, Rottingdean on 20 March 1917. The inscription on his grave reads 'In His Twentieth Year With Every Promise Of Happiness Before Him He Gave His Life To His Country'
2nd Lieut. David Dennys Fowler, Royal Flying Corps