Victor Edward Blowers

A Lance Corporal with 1st Bn. Victor died on 30th of June 1918 at the age of 22. 

Victor was born at Kessingland in 1896, a son of Thomas Edward and Mabel Ethel Blowers. He was baptised at Saint Edmund's Church, Kessingland, on 3 May 1896. In 1901 his family were living at The Beach, Kessingland, and this was still their address in 1911, when Victor worked as an errand boy. Later his parents lived at 4 Geneva Cottages, Kessingland. 

Victor enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft and served, initially, with the Suffolk Regiment, service number 13255. He arrived in France with the 9th Battalion Suffolk Regiment on 31 August 1915. The 9th Battalion was disbanded in France on 16 February 1918 and Victor was transferred to the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. 

We do not know what happened to Victor. In June 1918 the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment spent time in training areas and in the front line. The war diary shows no casualties for the period 25 to 30 June. We do know, however, that Victor died of wounds. He is buried at Aire and in 1918 Aire was the location of several hospitals and casualty clearing stations. 

Victor's sister, Stella Bird, and niece, Margaret Bird, were killed in an air raid in 1942.