William Henry Field Flowers
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
He was the eldest son of John French Flowers, a clergyman, and his wife Blanche Adelaide (née Owen b. 1863). His parents, who were both from Lincolnshire, were married in 1886 and had five children: Anne Owen b. Bonby 1887, Ruth b. Bonby 1889, William Henry Field b. Bonby 16 September 1891, Lawrence b. Corringham 1893 and Humphrey French b. Corringham 4 August 1896. Annie, Ruth and William were baptised at Bonby, William on 15 October 1891 and Lawrence and Humphrey at Corringham, Their father was vicar of Bonby, Lincolnshire, at the time of the 1891 Census. John and Blanche had two daughters and their eldest son, William, was born later that year.By 1901, John was vicar of Corringham, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. Only two sons, Lawrence and Humphrey, were in the home on the night of the 1901 census. Anne and Ruth were pupils at a school for clergymen's daughters in Casterton near Kendal (Westmoreland), and William was probably at Stancliff School, Matlock, Derbyshire. John was vicar of St John the Baptist, Great Carlton, Louth, Lincolnshire, in 1911. Only Lawrence, was in the home on the night of the census. Humphrey was scholar at Trent College, Long Eaton, Nottingham. The other three children, Anne, Ruth and William, have not yet been traced on the census, but a Ruth Flowers was recorded on the 1911 Canadian Census and a Ruth Flowers (30) was recorded on an outward passenger list from Liverpool to Montreal in 1920.William emigrated to New Brunswick Canada in 1912 and worked on a ranch near Regina and later in the Ohangan Valley. John, his wife Blanche and their daughter Anne were recorded on the UK 1921 Census (name of one other not sighted) but the CWGC record gives William's parents address as Trent Farm, Nokomis, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. John French Flowers died in Canada in March 1926 and was buried in Nokomis Cemetery. John's widow returned to England and in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled was living in Ripon with her married daughter Ruth Shepheard and her husband Reginald Shepheard (b. 1883), a Clerk in Holy Orders (CofE). Blanche died at Ripon, Yorkshire, in 1940. Her daughter Ruth died in 1972. John's surviving son Lawrence, took Holy Orders and also emigrated Canada where he died in 1978; he too was buried in Nokomis Cemetery. A passenger list of 1960 (dep. Liverpool for Montreal) included Lawrence's name and that of his wife, Sybil (b. 1906).Humphrey died in the Great War (see 'Extra information').
1/5th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment.William enlisted in the Canadian Army on 6th August 1914 and served as Private with 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles, 1914-1917. He saw service in France and Flanders from September 1915. William gained a commission and was gazetted second lieutenant with the York and Lancaster Regiment on 21st September 1917, joining the unit in France in October 1917.He was wounded in action on the evening of 14th April 1918 at Mont De Lille near Bailluel, and died the following day at the 77th Field Ambulance. He was buried in Berthen Communal Cemetery but at the end of the war his grave was concentrated at Meteren Military Cemetery, Belgium (grave reference: IV H 790). 'The cemetery was made in 1919 by the French authorities, who brought in Commonwealth, French and German graves from the neighbouring battlefields and from other cemeteries.' (www.cwgc.org)
William's brother, Humphrey French Flowers, served in the Royal Artillery (Royal Field Artillery) 2nd Lieut/Lieut Royal Artillery then transferred to the RFC/RAF Captain on 30 May 1918. He served with 82 Squadron (pilot) from 14 September 1918 and was reported missing on 14 October 1918 and his death in action was taken to be on that date. He is buried in Dadizeele New British Cemetery Belgium (V.D.19). Lincolnshire Echo, 24 October 1918: ‘Official Local Casualties. Killed. Capt. Humphrey French Flowers RAF, of Great Carlton, Louth.’ (www,britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)WMR 20400. Great Carlton War Memorial, Main Road/Glebe Road, Lincolnsire LN11 8JX – names include Flowers HF, Flowers WHF. (www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/208761)CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'In hope'CWGC additional information: 'Son of the Rev. J. F. and Mrs. Flowers, of Trent Farm, Nokomis, Saskatchewan. Native of Bonby, Lincs, England. Served as Private with 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles. 1914-1917.'Extract from 'The Cuthbertian' college magazine July 1918 No 2: 'News has at last come through of 2nd Lieut. Field Flowers, York and Lancs Regiment, and eldest son of Rev. J. F. Flowers, Vicar of Great Carlton, who died of wounds on April 15th. He was wounded on April 14th, in the neighbourhood of Bailleul, and died in the ambulance. On one occasion he manned a German machine gun and turned it on the enemy; and when, owing to heavy casualties, he was left in charge of the battalion, "he did magnificently," and the Colonel said he "did not know what he would have done without him." His name was to have been sent up for promotion and decoration. When war was declared Lieut. Field Flowers was on a ranch in Canada. He enlisted on August 6th, 1914, and after training in Canada and England went to France with his battalion, the 2nd C.M.R., in which he remained till he got his commission in the York and Lancs, in September last'. De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1919: 'William Henry Field Flowers, 2nd Lt 1/5 battalion, Yorks and Lancaster Regiment, eldest son of the Reverend John French Flowers of Great Carlton Vicarage, Louth by his wife Blanche Adelaide daughter of the Reverend Henry Owen and brother to Captain H F Flowers [KIA 14 October 1918], born at Bonby near Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire 16th September 1891 and educated at Stancliff Hall, Matlock and St Cuthberts at Worksop. Went to Canada in 1912 and settled in Regina and later in the Ohanagan Valley. Enlisted into the Canadian Mounted Rifles on 6th August 1914 and served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from September 1915. Was invalided home suffering from pleurisy in June 1916 rejoined his battalion in September the same year. Received a commission and was gazetted to 2nd Lieut, York and Lancasters Regiment on 21 September 1917, joined his regiment in France in October 1917. Died at No 77 Field Ambulance 15th April 1918 of wounds received in action at Mount De Lille near Bailleul the previous evening. Buried in Berthen Communal Cemetery. His adjutant wrote to a friend of his "Your friends conduct was magnificent," his commanding officer said "He behaved splendidly. I do not know what I would have done without him at the end." His name was to have been sent in for decoration and promotion.'
