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 Posted by CockneyTone » Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:54 pm
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.png) Lieutenant-Colonel Registered user Posts: 441 |
| Fellow Borderites, just thought I would post the news that following a bit of 'googling' last night I happened across a reference to a Soldiers diary written by Private Leonard BOWE of the 1st Border Regiment during the Boer War that is in the Borthwick Institute of Archives at York University. Following a speculative telephone enquiry to the Uni I received a prompt call back from a very helpfull young lady who has photocopied a transcript of the diary and for a small fee is sending the sixteen pages to me!She was honest enough to say that there is a lot of repitition in the diary but I cannot wait to get my hands on them (Sadly she warned me to allow 28 days for delivery) I will let you know whats in them once they arrive!
Regards, |
| Posted by kerchi » Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:09 pm
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 Field-Marshal Administrator Posts: 2160 In memory of John Bardgett (15309 L/Cpl.) 11th Border Regiment Who died 1st July 1916. |
| Scottie, that's excellent. Would like to be able to read that too if possible. Hope it arrives safely and keep us posted on that one! If you think it is any good, maybe a few pages (cheeky request coming or the whole sixteen pages) could be transcribed for the forum.
It just goes to show that Border Regiment 'stuff' does exist, it's just finding it!! |
| Posted by CockneyTone » Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:02 pm
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Lieutenant-Colonel Registered user Posts: 441 |
| Chris, thanks for your interest, I will update you with the contents as soon as they arrive, I'm hoping it may fill in a few gaps in my research.As you say, there is still stuff out there to find! Last week following a tip from a fellow 'Guild of Battlefield Guides' member I went to the Central Resource Library at Hatfield and had a look through their copies of the Times History of the Boer war, the books were excellent and I was pleased to find an account of the action in which my Grandfather was injured and it explained what the Regiment was up too at the time. Spent the whole afternoon there and think I will have to return ASAP. Anyway about time i posted the next installment of my Grandfathers War! Better get writing!
Regards, |
| Posted by CockneyTone » Thu Jul 30, 2009 4:49 pm
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Lieutenant-Colonel Registered user Posts: 441 |
| Had a look through my copy of The Black Angel and I think he gets a mention in it on page 95 as receiving his medal so I assume he was part of the Volunteers however he is not in the Muster Rolls in the back of the book? |
| Posted by CockneyTone » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:43 pm
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Lieutenant-Colonel Registered user Posts: 441 |
| Borderites, well the typed transcript of Private 7268 Bowe diary has arrived and it has some interesting stuff in it, sadly nothing covering the action my Grandfather copped his 'Blighty' wound in. First glance through its got some quite good 'general day to day' stuff in it about food, condition of clothing etc and includes his parents address, I was wondering if anybody in that neck of the woods know if the address still exists? Chapel Hill, Ambleside, Westmorland. Private Bowe was apparently insured with the prudential Insurance Company, Carlise in the sum of £100 that would be left to his parents 'if anything happens to him'.
Regards and best wishes, |
| Posted by kerchi » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:50 am
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Field-Marshal Administrator Posts: 2160 In memory of John Bardgett (15309 L/Cpl.) 11th Border Regiment Who died 1st July 1916. |
| Scottie, From reading this diary, can you tell what sort of character he was?
The street Chapel Hill, Ambleside is still there according to google maps (if this is the same Chapel Hill) however it looks like it is very different today. |
| Posted by CockneyTone » Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:14 pm
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Lieutenant-Colonel Registered user Posts: 441 |
| Chris, finally got time to add a few lines, its difficult to tell his character, however he does refer to his grub, or lack of it a lot of the time. They did a fair bit of marching in pursuit of the Boers and it appears it took its toll on him as he was hospitalised for a couple of months suffering from pneumonia. The medicine seemed different; 'July 16th, in bed on milk diet and brandy and turpentine every two hours! 'When he recovered it appears that he spent some time with a collection of soldiers from many other Regiments (I assume like him discharged from hospital and given a job to do!) manning a pillbox's and strongpoints away from the rest of the Regiment, whom I assume had marched off across Africa leaving him in hospital!
Regards, |
| Posted by kerchi » Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:44 pm
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Field-Marshal Administrator Posts: 2160 In memory of John Bardgett (15309 L/Cpl.) 11th Border Regiment Who died 1st July 1916. |
| Scottie, turpentine....what the heck!!! They certainly had a different way of treating people in those days. I had to read it twice just to make sure I got it right the first time. It is, however, very interesting to read what he was thinking at the time and learning of how he was recovering from pneumonia and that he talked of his food is just as interesting, to me anyway, as learning about what action he might have seen. Sometimes its the personal 'stuff' that make a diary such as this more intriguing. If there is anything else please post an update. |
| Posted by CockneyTone » Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:09 pm
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Lieutenant-Colonel Registered user Posts: 441 |
| Chris, it seems that the best food he got was whilst in hospital, I had a chuckle though at his single line entry for August 8th; No stout, no eggs! Another entry somes up for me just how grim they had it, May 17th; We were allowed a day rest and washed our shirt and singlet the 1st time for six weeks we where lousy what i never was in my life. (A bit like my son in his student digs!)
Regards, |
| Posted by CockneyTone » Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:41 am
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Lieutenant-Colonel Registered user Posts: 441 |
| Borderites! A couple of weeks ago I was in touch with the border Regiment Museum, they have come up trumps with another account of the action my Grandfather was wounded in, with a map! (To say that I am chuffed is a bit of an under statement!) Anyway I mentioned to them about Private Bowe's diary and it transpires that they have a watch in their collection that was awarded to Private Bowe by the Band of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion for his services in South Africa! A nice little coincidence I thought!
Regards, |
| Posted by leonardbowesggd » Fri Aug 06, 2010 6:41 pm
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Private Registered user Posts: 1 |
| Private Leonard Bowe, of ambleside?? That was my great grandad!!!!!! Chapel hill is still about and the house they bought is still ther although it has been altered! shocking to see someone actually has an interest, i thought it was just me. |
| Posted by CockneyTone » Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:52 am
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Lieutenant-Colonel Registered user Posts: 441 |
| This is really pleasing to see that he obviously went onto to have a family, would love to know more about Leonard and what became of him.If you would like a photocopy of the transcript of his diary just PM me with your address and I will pop a copy in the post for you!Would you have a picture that you could share with us please?Regards and welcome to the Forum.
Scottie. |