Joseph Frank Jowers
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Joseph Frank Jowers was born on 14th August 1897 at Nottingham, he was the son of Joseph Fuller Jowers a shop keeper/tailor and Florence Jowers née Moore, of 29 Tavistock Drive, Nottingham. Joseph Fuller was born in 1863 at Colchester, he died on 27th October 1916, he was aged 53 yrs, Florence Moore was born 1870 at Nottingham, they were married on 18th July 1895 at Andrews Church, Nottingham, they had 4 children. In the 1911 census the family were living at 29 Tavistock Drive, Nottingham, Joseph Fuller 48 yrs is a shop keeper/tailor, he is living with his wife Florence 41 yrs and their children, Joseph Frank 13 yrs a scholar, Florence Edna 11 yrs, Irene 8 ys and Phyllis Nancy 3 yrs of age.
Offensive in March 1918, Operarion Michael, which proved to be so destructive of Old Nottinghamians and the British Army in general. The three battalions in the front line of the Somerset Light Infantry wee overrun during the Battle for St Quentin and the remnants of the 6th battalion fought with the Scottish rifles at Jussy in the Actions of the Somme Crossings between 24th-25th March, where the Germans were able to force a crossing over the canal. It was probably during this action that J F Jowers was killed and, like many who died during this massive German Offensive their bodies were never recovered and they were commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.Fifth Army (Gough): III Corps (Butler): 14th (Light) Division (Couper) The Division held the line between a point just north of Moÿ de l'Aisne to the west of Itancourt (which is about 5km, or 3 miles, southeast of St-Quentin). There were no major defensible features of ground until the Crozat Canal some way behind the Division's "Battle Zone".The Division was faced by German Eighteenth Army's 103rd, 37th, 34th and part of 1st Bavarian Divisions - an overwhelming attack indeed. Major-General Victor Couper had deployed all three of his brigades into the Forward and Battle Zones, although the very front of the line held by the Division was occupied only by three battalions: the 6th Somerset Light Infantry and 8th and 9th King's Royal Rifle Corps. (It was against the latter two units that the main German weight of attack was thrown). The Division had only recently arrived from Ypres. • 9am: enemy infantry is reported to have entered the front line (which in this sector was more or less continuous) and soon afterward completed its capture. They begin to advance into the "Battle Zone".• A post near Urvillers, held by the 9th KRRC holds out until 3.30pm; some held by 8th KRRC in the village finally fall about 4pm. By day's end the Division had been ordered to withdraw to hold the line of the Crozat Canal at Liez, Mennesis and Jussy. The villages of Urvillers, Cérizy, Benay, Essigny-le-Grand, Lizerolles, Montescourt amd Clastres have all fallen into enemy hands. In a small, if interesting irrelevance, the Imperial War Museum in London preserves a Service Jacket (maternity pattern) of Albert Ball, VC, DSO, MC, the famous RFC fighter ace and son of Nottingham which was made by J F Jowers, Tailor, 49, Clumber Street, Nottingham – J F Jower’s father.
Lieutenant Joseph Frank Jowers served with the 6th battalion Somerset Light Infantry, he landed in France on 3rd July 1917 and was killed in action on 24h March 1918 having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial. additional research and information Peter Gillings
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