I have read with interest the discussions about Sherwood Rangers at Berjou. I have a copy of a personal letter from Capt William Spiers, padre for 1st Bn Worcestershire regt addressed to my wife's nan stating that her grandfather LCpl Bowater was killed by the same 'lucky shell' that killed the RSM. Un-named in the letter but Bn records show RSM Hurd, killed by 'one of the last shells' from a lone 88 and long range gun on 16th Aug. (tragically the letter is in fragments and incomplete) I am trying to find out as much as possible for my mother in law and intend to take her to Berjou when I have put together as much of the story as possible.... It is a 'stroke of luck' that RSM Hurd is linked in this given his standing in the regiment opposed to, and with all due respect to a Lance Corporal, the amount of information that may be directly attributable..... All records claim L Cpl F Bowater was KIA on 18th Aug including the telegram from the war office, Capt Spiers however states that he was lying next to the RSM and his wounds were of severe a nature to have been fatal on the 16th.... Thanks to the info on the Rangers I have managed to cobble together or tie in some details but any advice or further sources would be of great interest.... Thanks for reading....
The regimental history: The Worcestershire Regiment 1922-1950 by Birdwood really only adds the detail that he was buried with "the 16 officers" of the battalion at the Calvary mentioned in the other thread. The 'officers' claim is clearly wrong - I think it should read 'others'. Geoff's Search Engine lists 16 casualties between 16-18 August: fifteen on the 16th and one (L/Cpl Bowater) on the 18th. If the history is correct, a total of 17 were buried at the Calvary: RSM Hurd plus 16. The numbers could suggest that L/Cpl Bowater was not evacuated from the battlefield as they're one short already. 001 AYLING RR 5255296 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 002 BOWATER F 5247561 1ST BN 18/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 003 BRYANT AJ 14416719 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 004 CROSS F 5249458 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 005 DAVIES JE 14640590 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 006 FAULKNER W 5334706 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 007 HATHAWAY H 5258023 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 008 HURD J 4114550 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 009 HUTCHINS E 14699690 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 010 INGRAM WH 5257034 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 011 JENKINS R 5258682 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 012 LITTLEWOOD JSJ 5257954 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 013 MUST J 5571156 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 014 PACKMAN AE 7962691 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 015 STIMSON RP 5258432 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 016 TROTH GE 5248616 1ST BN 16/08/1944 WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT As it is a family enquiry, you could ask the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for details of L/Cpl Bowater's field burial, I believe they sometimes release that sort of information, and it increases the likelihood that he died on the 16th if he was buried with the others. For completeness, the history's roll of honour also gives 18 August for L/Cpl Bowater's death, but that is likely to have come from information supplied by CWGC rather than unit records. If the 'Bn records' didn't include the war diary, that might be worth looking up. It seems the Battalion spent a few days resting around Berjou before moving on so it's just possible that there may be references to burial parties while things were quiet.
Around the start of the 3rd Reel of this IWM audio there is a (little) bit about Berjou and the 1st Worcestershire. Keen, Dennis James (Oral history) DESCRIPTION Object description British private with General Service Corps and Royal Warwickshire Regt Depot in GB, 1943-1944; served with 1st Bn Worcestershire Regt in North West Europe and Germany, 1944-1945; served with 5th and 2nd Bns Essex Regt in Germany and Italy, 1945-1947 Content description REEL 1 Background in Knowle, GB, 1925-1943: family; education; family involvement with war effort; membership of Officers Training Corps; industrial related education; civilian work with Bakelite; involvement with St John's Ambulance; air raids in Warwickshire including visit to Coventry, 11/1940; attempt to join Royal Air Force; call-up and journey to Warwick. Aspects of period as private with General Service Corps and Royal Warwickshire Regt Depot in GB, 1943-1944: reception on arrival; settling into army; opinion of NCOs; pattern of training; selection tests and interviews including proficiency with Morse code; wait for signals training and posting to Warwickshire Regiment; details of camp; memories of neighbour from regiment; reactions to call-up; field craft training; physical state; proficiency with rifle; posting at Aske Hall near Catterick; accommodation; make-up of establishment; pattern of training including with radios; line laying; talking on radio; opinion of training; leave; posting to Horncastle. Aspects of period as private 8th Bn Royal Warwickshire Regt in GB, 1944: period on switchboard; accommodation; advanced signals training in Skegness; route marches; climate during guard duties and accommodation; description of exercise. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of radio sets; details of Fullerphone; leave; posting to 21st Army Group; embarkation leave; return to unit at Bury St Edmunds; restrictions on activity; knowledge of posting to Worcestershire Regiment; journey to and landing at Normandy; first night in France including rations; description of march to Bayeux; setting-up of holding unit and wait for 43rd Division; visit to Bayeux. Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Worcestershire Regt in North West Europe, 1944-1945: joining of unit; air activity; knowledge of situation; posting at Baron; duties including involvement in night attack; rest period including visit from George Formby; knowledge of Hill 112; bicycle journey to Caumont; details of positions occupied; duties during advance. REEL 3 Continues: memories of events around Caumont and advance into Berjou; memories of NCOs; relationship with comrades; laying of lines in Vernon and crossing of Seine to Vernonnet; story of wounding; treatment at Regimental Aid Post; evacuation to Bayeux; period of hospitalisation including near return to GB; convalescence; reason for return to unit; description of return journey to unit in Netherlands including contact with civilians and rations; situation on arrival and in absence; only use of Morse code. REEL 4 Continues: details of attack into Germany on Reishden including separation from unit and contact with Picture Post; contact with civilians in Germany; relationship with civilians in Netherlands including period in Brunsen; Christmas 1944 and activities in Ardennes; advance through Reichswald including problems laying lines; awards given to signallers at Goch; fall into deep snow; posting as signaller to rifle company; accommodation; duties; details of German phones and cable; rest period including assault boat training and concert parties; air activity before Rhine crossing; crossing of Rhine; problems from stress; period with carrier platoon; leave in GB, 3/1945, including souvenirs taken home. REEL 5 Continues: return to unit; changes to uniform; German generator at headquarters; use of telegraph poles for laying lines; details of posting at POW Camp; news of war's end and VE Day celebrations; scenes of movement; posting to Bleckede; story of surrendering German troops; details of switchboard used; details of period with holding unit including strike. Aspects of period as private with 5th and 2nd Bns Essex Regt in Germany and Italy, 1945-1947: details and opinion of unit; postings as runner and clerk; visit to theatre in Hamburg; discipline; posting to Bleckede; relationship with civilians; meals; disbandment of battalion; posting to 2nd Battalion; role in unit; details of status as Imperial Reserve; train journey to Trieste; equipment gained on arrival; posting to Mestre; details of visits to Venice. REEL 6 Continues: movement of stores to depot including staff; details of uniform gained; question of staying in army; changes made for National Servicemen; background to hospitalisation in GB; medical treatment in Colchester; reactions to demobilisation. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1947: civilian work; reflections on service.
