Photo: Brian Chandler

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Thomas was the second of the three children born to stonemason Robert Bowey and his second wife Annie (nee Hogg). His first wife Barbara had died in 1873 leaving a family of eight siblings, half brothers to Thomas, Elizabeth Wilhelmina and Anthony. Thomas was born on 28th September 1885 whilst the family were living at West Thirston near Felton, Northumberland. Father Robert died in April 1901, and at that time the two bots were working at Thirston Flour Mill, Tom as a carter and Anthony as a miller.

A month after appearing on the 1911 UK census Tom sailed to Canada on the SS Victorian, making for Toronto and hoping to find work as a farmer.

On 28th May 1915, having been working as a teamster, Tom enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Calgary, giving his mother in Northumberland as his next of kin, he became Private 447016 in the 2nd Reinforcement Draft of 56th Battalion. After initial training at Sarcee Camp, and despite having suffered from pleurisy, Thomas sailed with the draft on 11th September 1915 on the SS Metagama and on arrival in England was posted to camp at Shorncliffe, Kent.

Transferred to the 9th Battalion shortly after arrival, on 1st November Tom was admitted to Shorncliffe Military Hospital with influenza. Seriously ill two weeks later he was tested for TB and para thypoid, but all results were negative. He died at 11.05am on 20th November 1915, just hours before his sister arrived to visit him, and an autopsy showed he was suffering from pleurisy and pneumonia. Thomas Bowey was buried five days later at Felton with full military honours.

Thomas Bowey is remembered in Felton on F14.02

In Canada he is remembered on their Virtual War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual Memorial
Felton Roll of Honour
The CWGC entry for Private Bowey