In Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France is the Commonwealth War Grave of 11626 Private Philip Bowes, serving with the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry who died 03/05/1917.

He was the son of Richard and Marie Stella Bowes, of 9, Bell Terrace, Annfield Plain, County Durham.

Blaydon Courier 07/05/1921 carries:
In loving memory of our dear son, Pte. Philip Bowes, 2nd D.L.I., youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Bowes, of 9 Bell Terrace, Annfield Plain, who was killed in action May 3rd 1917 aged 22 years. R.I.P.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Philip Bowes was one of 11 surviving children, 1 deceased, born to Richard Bowes Snr and Maria Stella Tucker, both of whom were natives of Spennymoor, County Durham, born August 3rd 1856 and 1860 respectively. Marie Stella was the daughter of coal miner Philip Tucker who was born in St. Austell, Cornwall and Catherine Wilhelmina Lishman Smith native of Liverpool, Lancashire, both of whom had migrated to the north-east with their families in the 1860s.

Richard and Marie Stella were married in the district of Auckland, County Durham, in 1879, their eldest child, Catherine Ann was born in the village of Canney Hill, Coundon Gate, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, in 1880, where Richard Bowes was employed as a coal miner. His wife gave birth to a further 4 children in Canney Hill, Wilhelmina, May 23rd 1881, Thomas, September 27th 1883, Frank, November 28th 1885 and Marie Stella, December 10th 1887, baptised January 8th 1888, before they moved a few miles away to the village of Escomb, birthplace of James Bowes, February 22nd 1890. 

In 1891 they occupied 3, Woodside, Witton Park, Escomb, Richard supported his family employed as a labourer at the pit. Ten years later they were living at Black Road, Witton Park and their family had increased with the birth of a further 4 children, Richard Jnr, February 22nd 1890, Mary Jane 1894 who sadly died not yet 2 years of age in 1896, Philip 1894 and Hannah in 1897. 

Richard Snr was now employed as a master stone man below ground and had been joined at the pit by Thomas (17) working as a putter and Frank (15) a driver, the remainder of the children with the exception of Hannah (4) although of school age are not listed as scholars. Catherine Ann (21) had left the family home and was employed as a housemaid/domestic by Roman Catholic priest Father Richard Wyler, resident of Albion Terrace, Witton Park.

Richard and Marie Stella welcomed another daughter, October 7th 1902 whom they named Mary, followed by Margaret Jane, June 13th 1905 at South Moor.

Five rooms at 9, Bell Terrace, New Kyo, Annfield Plain, had become the family home by 1911 as the colliery offered a place of work to the male members of the family. Coal hewer Richard Snr had been joined below ground by Thomas (27) Frank (25) James (21) as hewers, Richard Jnr (18) as a putter, Philip (16) was a colliery labourer above ground. Hannah (14), Mary (8) and Margaret Jane (4) remained at home with their mother assisted by Wilhelmina (29). 

Philip Bowes, described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, brown hair and blue eyes, enlisted in the Army at the age of 18 years and 4 months, February 26th 1913, serving with the 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry for home service until August 28th 1913 as Private 9692 when he was re-engaged to the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry as Private 11626 for a period of 7 years with the Colours and 5 years with the Reserve. 

During this initial period Private Bowes was stationed at Litchfield where he obtained a third class certificate, February 25th 1914. In the Army this was linked with promotion in the ranks however in his case this never occurred.

Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914. Men from all walks of life volunteered to serve their Country in answer to Kitchener’s call to arms and the order that all regiments raise new battalion. 

Private Philip Bowes departed to the front, January 26th 1915 joining his regiment in the field. Prior to his departure Private Bowes’ conduct had been less than exemplary, unfortunately this continued and on two occasions after a military trial he was punished with 2 months as of April 1915 then 3 months, as of June 1915, Field Punishment 1 which consisted of the convicted man being placed in fetters and handcuffs and attached to a gun wheel or fence post for up to two hours a day in a field punishment camp a few miles behind the front line.

July 17th 1915 he was admitted to the 18th Field Ambulance, whilst serving in Belgium, suffering from asthenia (exhaustion), returning to duty 6 days later. August 3rd 1915 he was again admitted to the 18th Field Ambulance, then transferred to the 6th Dressing Station at Mont des Cats 5 days later and admitted suffering from debility, August 14th.

Once Private Bowes returned to his regiment he continued to take great risks with his misconduct, absenting himself for 10 days, between December 5th-14th 1915, this could have been punished by death but he was fortunate to receive Field Punishment 1 for 21 days.

The 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry spent a second winter in the cold and mud filled trenches of the Ypres salient then moved south to France in July 1916. The fighting on the Somme had commenced July 1st 1916 after being delayed by two days due to bad weather but the 2nd Battalion as part of the 18th Brigade, 6th Division did not participate in any major battle until the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, September 15th-22nd and Morval, September 25th-28th.

During the spring of 1917 they returned to the front in Belgium participating during the Battle of Hill 60 which had been in the hands of the Germans since November 11th 1914. Experienced miners from Northumberland and Wales were recruited to dig trenches and the British attack began April 17th concluding May 7th 1917 during which Private 11626 Philip Bowes was killed in action, May 3rd 1917.

Private 11626 Philip Bowes Durham Light Infantry was taken for burial to Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas de Calais, France, where he is at rest grave I. O. 25. Private Bowes was 22 years of age and single.

His mother Marie Stella Bowes received all monies due to her late son from the Army, his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 9, Bell Terrace, Annfield Plain, County Durham. 

During the process of his mother claiming a war pension in relation to her son Philip tragedy struck the grieving family for a second time when they received news of the loss of HMS Partridge and the confirmation that Philip’s elder brother Signalman James Bowes had been lost at sea, December 12th 1917. 

Marie Stella received several gratuities in relation to their loss also a combined pension of 12 shillings a week as of July 18th 1918, the latter allocated to her for life.

In the interim Philip’s mother received, October 11th 1917, several of Philip’s person possessions and wrote a letter of thanks to the Records Office, York, October 11th 1917 which reads as follows including any grammatical errors, “Dear Sir, I beg to thank you for the kindness you have taking in sending the letters, photo belt, book, fork & spoon, cap badge, mirror, 2 rosaries, p. card, cig. case belonging to my son which I received this morning, Yours faithfully, Mrs. M. S. Bowes.”

Upon the demise of Maria Stella Bowes nee Tucker in 1934 the pension passed to her husband Richard Bowes who in 1939 was living at North Terrace, Oxhill, Stanley, County Durham. Richard was still employed as a coal miner below ground, also in the household were his sons Thomas and Frank working as coal miners and daughters Mary and Wilhelmina who was the widow of John H. Conlon.

Richard Bowes died in 1941 while Great Britain was again in the midst of war with Germany. .

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Philip Bowes is remembered  at Annfield Plain on A38.01 and A38.11, at Stanley S135.03, in S135.04 and S135.20 and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page 107.