Wilfred George Gower

A Fisherman with the drifter 'Will and Maggie', Wilfred died on 3 November 1914 at the age of 17.

Wilfred was born at Carlton Colville in 1897, a son of George Alfred and Elizabeth Abigail Gower. In 1901 his family lived at 21 Victoria Road, Carlton Colville. By 1914 they had a home at Beccles Road, Carlton Colville. 

Wilfred was a fisherman with the drifter 'Will and Maggie' and his father was the Skipper. At 9 p.m. on 3 November 1914 the drifter was fishing about 17 miles off Lowestoft. A mine was brought up in the net and exploded. Six of the crew were killed including Wilfred and his father; William Mower, Harry Flowers and Frank Newrick, all from Lowestoft area; and Frederick Steel, from Gorleston. Two other men, Edward Smith and Alfred Leverett, were injured. Two men, Albert Wright and Ernest Coe, survived and were not injured. At the inquest Wright and Coe stated that the mine was caught in the drifter's net and exploded when the net was being hauled in. They added that the drifter's small boat was damaged in the explosion: hence the men who were not killed in the explosion had to survive in the water until rescued. The four survivors were picked up by the trawler Qui Saint and landed at Lowestoft. 

For further details see: World War One – History of Lowestoft's Fishing Industry (wordpress.com)