BORN KIRKELLA, 1896. SON OF DANIEL TOWSE. HIS NAME IS LISTED ON THE ANLABY WW1 MEMORIAL, ST PETER’S CHURCHYARD, WILSON STREET, ANLABY.
Hull Pals Memorial Post. CPL HAROLD TOWSE MM 11038. Born in Kirkella in 1896 Harold was the son of Daniel and Margaret Towse of 11 Ditmas Avenue, Anlaby Common, Hull. His dates suggest he was either already in uniform when war broke out. He shipped out to serve in the Balkans in July 1915, a full five months before the Pals left Blighty for Egypt. At some point he joined the 11th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, and whether a Corporal already, or promoted on his transfer, he proved himself a brave and capable soldier earning the Military Medal. All the more galling then that his death should be so pointless, for he was killed in action on 12th July 1918 when a trigger-happy officer fired upon a machine gun post more than happy to surrender and a needless fire fight ensued claiming the lives of several young men who might otherwise have seen the Armistice. Harold’s body was never recovered and his name is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Hainaut, Belgium. He was 22 years old.
NB: OLIVER TOWSE, RGA – 8 CRYSTAL AVE, CAVE ST; PTE. ERNEST OWSE, EYR -11 ANGELO TERRACE, ETON ST.
