Fowler, William Ernest

BORN HULL 1884. HULL PAL. YOUNGEST SON OF MARY & THE LATE SKELTON FOWLER. GNR. JOHN SKELTON FOWLER, RGA SERVED AT SAME ADDRESS. CLERK
Hull Pals Memorial Post. PRIVATE WILLIAM ERNEST FOWLER 10/1291. Born in June 1884, William was the youngest son of Skelton and Mary Fowler of 112 Plane Street, Anlaby Road, Hull. The fourth of five children, William lost his father when only a nipper and was raised by the wit and determination of his mother who must have been some woman. A Cost Clerk by trade, William answered the call of King and Country in the early weeks of 1915 joining the new battalion in training at their various camps in Hornsea, Beverley and Ripon. He was a veteran of Egypt, the Somme, Oppy Wood and the Spring Offensive when he was badly wounded in the trenches facing Vieux-Berquin and evacuated to the hospital centre at St Omer. He died of wounds on 15th August 1918 despite the best attentions of the army medical staff who worked all hours to cope as the hospital trains brought casualties in. Decisions had to be made. Perhaps William was a ‘maybe’ whom they tried in vain to save…..or perhaps he was a ‘no chance’ quietly left in a corner to die as those poor men and women focussed their energy and resources on men who had a chance of life.