BOWEN, James

James Bowen was a pre-war regular soldier who had attended St. John's School, Stourbridge. He was serving in the 4th Battalion of the Worcesters in 1914 in Burma but returned to England in February 1915 to join the 29th Division. They were ordered back east to the Dardanelles to lead the campaign against the Turkish Empire and sailed to the Gallipoli peninsula. Reconnaissance indicated that Cape Helles was suitable for seaborne landings and that the Turkish forces would be weak. On the 25th April the initial landings at V beach proved to be a death trap and so the Worcesters in the second wave were diverted to W beach. They scrambled up the cliffs to break the Turkish defences without serious loss. A major attack was mounted on the 28th April against the Turks in the village of Krithia but their defences had been strengthened. The Worcesters suffered heavy casualties and gained no ground. Among those killed in action on the 30th was Private James Bowen who is commemorated on the Helles, Stourbridge and St. John's church and school Memorials.