South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project |
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Military History |
| Theatre of War | Medals | Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial |
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| Egypt | 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals | Alexandria (Chatby) Military & War Memorial Cemetery |
| Arrived in Theatre | Medal Citation (if app) | SWFHS Area Memorials |
| 20 Apr 1915 | ~ | Radford Semele |
| Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed | Date and Place Enlisted | Other Service Information |
| Died of pneumonia & pericarditis | Mobilised on 5 Aug 1914 | 20 Apr 1915 - arrived in Alexandria |
| 14 Aug 1915 - left Alexandria | ||
| Place of Death | Previous Regiments or Units | 18 Aug 1915 - disembarked under fire at Suvla Bay |
| Military Hospital, Alexandria | ~ | 31 Oct 1915 - left Gallipoli for Mudros (Greece) |
| 1 Nov 1915 - arrived Mudros | ||
| 24 Nov 1915 - left for Alexandria | ||
| 28 Nov 1915 - arrived Alexandria |
Letter from the FrontOn 25th September 1915 the Warwickshire Gazette published a letter from Joshua which is transcribed below and makes grim reading: "Sergeant Josh. Gowling of the Warwickshire Yeomanry, son of Mr. Joseph Gowling, of Radford writes home under date August 29th, as follows:- “We are close to the firing line in our dugouts. We have been under fire ever since we got here and we have had a very hot time. We were in a battle last Saturday and had to advance across open, flat country for nearly two miles. My word they did thin us out with shrapnel! It was awful, I can tell you, and then we went right up in the first line of trenches. . . I didn't think any of us would get over it, but every man kept going till he got bowled over. I can tell you I was glad to get to the hill on the cover. The shells set fire to a lot of brushwood, which we came through, and a lot of wounded must have got burned to death after. It was an awful sight. I never want to see again . . . We are shelled every day and we had a hot time yesterday. The Turks got a gun on our flank and gave it us. A lot were killed and wounded. Yesterday a fellow in the next dugout to me was killed he came from Leamington and his name was Allbright (of Ranelagh-terrace). I felt the heat from the shell. Harold Davies is with me and the dug-out. The hills and ridges oh very high, and the ground is very hard to take. Our battleships keep on firing and the rifle fire at night it's awful to hear.” Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)Joshua, having survived the carnage at Gallipoli, died of pneumonia & pericarditis in a Military Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt. As can be seen above the 1st/1st were constantly on the move and the 23 days spent at Murdos were under canvas, in what are described as appalling conditions with cold weather and a shortage of rations, and the chances are that it was at Murdos that Joshua first became ill but without his service record it is not possible to confirm that to have been the case. They left Murdos aboard the H.M.T.S. Themistocles. |
 Picture Courtesy and © Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum
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| Personal & Family History |
| Birth Date/Place | Baptism Date/Place |
|---|---|
| Mar 1881 at Little Musgrave, Cumbria | 1 Feb 1882 at Kirkby Stephen |
| Parents Names | Abode |
| Joseph and Sarah Gowling | Hill Farm, Radford Semele |
| Wife & Marriage Date/Place | Children & Year of Birth |
| Margaret Lily Gowling nee | Margaret Gertrude born 5 May 1915 |
| 8 Sep 1914 at Bournemouth St. Paul's | |
| Schools | Colleges |
| ~ | |
| Address History | Employment History |
| 1881 - Rudd Hills, Little Musgrave, Cumbria | 1891 - Scholar |
| 1891 - Hill Houses, Radford Semele | 1901 - Farmers son - working on farm |
| 1901 - Hill House Farm, Radford Semele | 1911 - Working on farm |
| 1911 - Hill Farm, Radford Semele | 1914 - Sergeant in Yeomanry |
| 1914 - Hill Farm, Radford Semele | |
| 1916 - 3 Tavistock Street, Leamington |
