William Arthur Scowen

A Private with 6th Bn., William died on 22nd of August 1917 at the age of 38. 

William was born at Camberwell, London, in 1877, a son of Allan and Maria Scowen. In 1881 his family lived at 3 John Street, Camberwell. By 1891 William was working as a pawnbroker’s warehouse-boy and lodging with his employer, Walter Blackall, at 241 Walworth Road, Newington, London. 

In 1902 William married Beatrice Lily Gower. Beatrice, who was sometimes known as Lily, came from Beccles. 

By 1911 William and Lily were the proprietors of the Marlboro' Commercial Hotel dining rooms at 12 Pier Terrace, Lowestoft. By 1918 Beatrice was also running the Khaki Cafe, New Market, Beccles. Later Beatrice lived at 8 Pier Terrace.  

William enlisted in the Army at Lambeth. Initially he served with the East Surrey Regiment, service number G/23448. He was transferred to the Somerset Light Infantry, number 27360, and posted to the 6th Battalion in France.  

On 21 August 1917 the 6th Battalion attacked the German positions in the vicinity of Inverness Copse. They had a number of strong points to deal with and faced sustained machine-gun fire. They were engaged in heavy fighting around Herenthage Chateau and took around 130 prisoners, but the Battalion lost many officers and the attack faltered through lack of leadership. Reinforcements were sent, in small numbers, but this did not help. About 2 p.m. on the 22nd the Germans, possibly 1,000 in number, grouped in preparation to make a counter-attack. This was checked by British artillery and machine-gun fire. 
At dawn on the 24th the Battalion was still holding on to Inverness Copse and the Germans counter-attacked in large numbers. Again, the attacked was checked by machine-gun fire. Later in the morning operational control was handed over to the Officer Commanding the 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. 

The Battalion’s casualties from 21 to 24 August 1917 were:
Officers: 6 killed, 2 wounded and missing, 9 wounded
Other Ranks: 42 killed, 74 missing, 209 wounded  

William was missing, presumed to have been killed in action on the 22nd August, and Beatrice received official notification to this effect in July 1918. 

In 1920 William's body was found at map reference Sheet 28 N.E. J.14.c.5.5. He was identified from an identity disc that had his name and East Surrey Regiment details. Subsequently he was reburied at Tyne Cot.