Harold Edward Dowsing

A Private with 7th Bn., Harold died on 3rd of May 1917 at the age of 23. 

Harold was born at Lowestoft in 1894, a son of Charles William and Edith Mary Dowsing. In 1901 his family lived at 36 Edinburgh Road, Lowestoft. By 1911 they were living at 87 Rotterdam Road and Harold worked as a porter at a new making works. Later his family lived at 38 Crown Street, Lowestoft.

Harold enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft in early September 1914. He was on one of a number of Lowestoft men who had volunteered to join the Army and who enlisted into 7th Battalion The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). The 7th Battalion was part of the 18th (Eastern) Division and was based in the Colchester area during the first few months of its formation. Harold arrived in France on 28 July 1915 with the 7th Battalion. 

On 28 April 1917 the 7th Battalion moved to Neuville Vitasse near Arras. On 1 may they moved into front line trenches at Eterpigny. Early on 3 May they moved into battle preparations ready for a major attack that began at 3.45 a.m. The barrage to cover their advance did not go well and the Germans were able to bring heavy rifle and machine gun fire to bear as well as bringing down their own barrage who proved to be very intense. The Battalion continued to advance until 11.00 a.m. when a general retirement began. Some officers managed to rally some of the men and halted part of the retirement. The German barrage continued into the afternoon. The battalions involved in the attack received reinforcements and at 5.35 p.m. the 7th Battalion received orders to attack and capture Cable Trench. This attack began at 7.15 p.m. but did not succeed and the remaining men of the 7th manned the front line until the next day. 

In the attack on 3 May the 7th Battalion lost 380 officers and men killed, wounded and missing. Harold was reported missing and was later presumed to have been killed in action.