Cpl Thomas Henry Fowler 2/7th Bn died 21 March 1918

[wilky]

Tom was my wife's great uncle and we are hoping to learn more about his time in the Manchesters prior to his death.  His brother James Arthur Fowler, who was wounded but survived the war, was in the Lancs Fusiliers and there is a tradition that their two battalions marched past each other and the two brothers were able to speak to each other for the last time.  Jim was coming out of the line and Tom was going up to the front.
Is there a battalion history of the 2/7th?

Wilky

[Wendi]

Hi Wilky and a Warm Welcome to the Forum 

Have you seen this:

http://www.themanchesters.org/2-7th%20batt.htm

There would be the Battalion War Diary, and it may make mention of his death.  Do you have his MIC? as it would appear at some point he was a Serjeant http://www.shrinkurl.org/279/

I'm attaching his entry from SDGW and will move your post to the WW1 section and see what we can come up with for you.

Wendi 

[harribobs]

hi wilky

and welcome to the group

for a history of the battalion, i would recommend this section on the main site

http://www.themanchesters.org/66th%20-1.htm the history of the 66th division,( the 2/7th were part of this division) it will give you a good grounding of what they did

Tom was killed on the first day of the German spring offensive in 1918, the 66th division had a very rough time but proved themselves to be a formidable force even in retreat

the 66th division had a number of Lancs Fusilier battalions and I'm sure they could have crossed when relieving each other. one of our family stories is of my father seeking shelter in a hole on Dunkirk beach to be welcomed by his cousin

cheers

chris

[wilky]

Thanks Wendi and Chris,  I have downloaded Tom's medal card and checked the main site for the diary of the 2/7th.  Unfortunately the extract ends in December 1917 so a visit to Kew is called for.  The action on March 21st must have been cataclysmic for the battalion as I see that the survivors were sent to other units in the April.

Regards,
wilky

[Wendi]

Hi wilky !

You might be able to access the diary via TNA website, they have quite a few available for a fee.

Can you post his MIC for us to see please?

Wendi 

[harribobs]

i would be very very surprised if the war diary contains a reference to his death, they were severely mauled

looking at the 66th battalions WDs previously, i noted how they went from well kept to sparse in those dark days ( hardly surprising)

chris