Pte. J. Fowler

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FIRST NAMES: James

UNIT: 5th Border Regiment

NUMBER: 241768

STATUS: Killed in Action

DATE OF DEATH: 16th September 1916

CEMETERY OR MEMORIAL: The Thiepval Memorial

AGE: 25

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Before the War, James Fowler had worked, for almost 2 years, for the North Eastern Railway as a labourer in the Engineers Department at Northallerton until he enlisted, in Northallerton, on 11th February 1915. It is likely that he originally enlisted into the 2/4th Yorkshire Regiment and that he was part of a draft of men from that Battalion which later joined the Border Regiment.

He was killed, aged 25, during the Battle of the Somme whilst taking part in an attack on a German position called Prue Trench which was situated between the villages of Martinpuich and Flers. Some members of the 5th Borders together with a few men from the 9th Durham Light Infantry managed to enter the trench but they were forced out again and had to withdraw back to their starting positions.

Private Fowler was originally listed as wounded and missing which suggests that one of his comrades had reported seeing him hit, but could not say whether he had died or not. No further news was received and his body was never identified . His name is commemorated on the huge Memorial to The Missing of the Somme at Thiepval.