BORN BEVERLEY 1891. SON OF GEORGE WILEY SOWEN (1854-1892) AND EMMA MOORE (1854-1933), OF 32, WOOD LANE, BEVERLEY (CWGC AND WAR PENSION ADDRESS). FROM A BAPTIST FAMILY. HE HAD FOUR BROTHERS AND FIVE SISTERS. HE ENLISTED IN BEVERLEY, SERVED WITH THE 2ND EYR. KILLED IN ACTION, ON 05/05/1915, AGED 24.
HIS DEATH AND PHOTOGRAPH APPEAR IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL 1ST JUNE 1915. *
HIS NAME IS RECORDED ON THE BEVERLEY WW1 MEMORIAL WITH HIS BROTHER PTE, ERNEST WILEY SOWEN, CEF, KILLED 02/09/1918.
Walter Sowen was born in 1891 in Beverley, the son of George Wiley and Emma Sowen. Walter enlisted with the 1st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment in 1911. Later that year, he was posted to the 2nd Battalion who were stationed in India. He earned good conduct badges in 1911 and 1914.
Posted to France, on 15/01/1915, the 2nd Battalion moved to Belgium and the Ypres Salient. The second phase of the Battle of Ypres was the battle of St Julien. Walter was killed in action on 05/05/1915, aged 24.
He was awarded the 1914/1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He is ‘Remembered with Honour’ at the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. He is also commemorated at the St Mary’s War Memorial, Hengate, Beverley.
