Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Great War Memorial Plaque issued in remembrance of Lieutenant-Colonel F. J. Bowker, who was killed in action while serving as C.O. of the 1/4th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment at Orah Creek, near Kut, in January 1916

Memorial Plaque 1914-18 (Francis Jearrad Bowker), extremely fine £150-200

Francis Jearrad Bowker was born at Paddockhurst, Sussex, in July 1868 and was educated at Harrow and the R.M.C. Sandhurst. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Hampshire Regiment in August 1888, he was advanced to Lieutenant in January 1890 and served as A.D.C. to Major-General Sir C. B. Knowles, K.C.B., in Malta and Egypt in 1895-97. Having then been advanced to Captain in March of the latter year, he witnessed active service in the Boer War and was present at the actions of Paardeberg, Poplar Gorove, Karee Siding, Vet River, Zand River and Johannesburg (Queen’s Medal & 3 clasps; King’s Medal & 2 clasps), gaining a mention in despatches (London Gazette 29 July 1902 refers), and the Brevet of Major.

Placed on the Retired List in August 1908, Bowker was recalled on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 and took command of the 1/4th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment (Territorial Force), in which capacity he entered the Mesopotamian theatre of war in March 1915 and quickly saw action at Nasariyeh that July, when he was wounded. Subsequently besieged at Kut, the Battalion was again in action at Orah Creek on the Tigris on 21 January 1916, on which occasion Bowker was killed in action. Aged 47 years, he was the son of Alexander and Charlotte Bowker, and the husband of Esme Nicoll (formerly Bowker) of 2, Albert Place, Victoria Road, Kensington, London. He was buried in the Amara War Cemetery.