John Edward Bownes
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John Edward Bownes was born in 1877 at Mansfield, he was the son of John James Bownes (born 1856 at Tupton, Derbyshire) and Ellen Bownes née Cheetham. John Edward married Alice Osborne on 19th March 1904 at St Peters Church Derby they had a daughter Frances Alice born 1906 and lived at 106 Sherwood Street, Mansfield Woodhouse. In 1911 the family lived at 51 Allestree Street, Crewton, Derby John Edward is 33 yrs and is a signal fitter for the midland railway he is living with his wife Alice 30 yrs and daughter Frances Alice 5 yrs of age.
Private John Edward Bownes enlisted 27th August 1914 and initialled served with the Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He was transferred to the Royal Marine Light Infantry on 16th September 1914. He served in Gallipoli and was killed in action on 5th May 1915, having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli.
Bownes was one of 'Kitchener's Marines' who were transferred from the Sherwood Foresters to the RMLI. Des Turner notes '600 RMLI transfers came from 2 regiments - 200 from the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) and 400 from the Sherwood Foresters. They were predominantly ex-miners and labourers, fit men wanted for their ability to dig trenches and tunnels. The 200 KOYLI recruits were transferred to Plymouth Division RMLI and were given service numbers PLY/1(S) to PLY200(S). This was also the case for the Sherwood Foresters 200 who were dispatched to Portsmouth where already 30 men were recruited and so they became PO/31(S) to PO/230(S). 200 remaining Foresters went to Chatham and were numbered CH/1 to CH/200(S).'
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