Lives of the First World War

14th June 1917 - 21st September 1918

14:06:1917 Garry joined RNVR Division Mersey No Z 3621 Height: 6 feet 2 inches Eyes: blue Complexion: fresh [mole below right shoulder valve] Able Seaman - HMS Victory VI Crystal Palace [used as a training depot for the RN] 24:07:1917 Training as W/T operator RNVR 20:10:1917 Approval for discharge from RNVR with a view to obtaining a commission as Probationary Flying Officer RNAS 28:10:1917 Joined RNAS at Greenwich - as Temp Prob Flying Officer 03:12:1917 To Manston for instruction. 30:03:1918. To Cranwell - Machines flown - M/Farman, Avro and BE2C. 01:04:1918 RNAS became the Royal Air Force. His rank changed to Probationary 2nd Lieutenant Results of his Graduation Examination May 1918 - Flying ability 2nd class/Wireless Telegraphy 96.6% 1st class/Photography 96.6% 1st class. Appointed Temporary 2nd Lt 1:05:1918. Cranwell 1:05:1918 - recorded 55 hours 28 minutes flying time. Remarks on Graduation - graduated/very good pilot and Officer/recommended for Handley Page machines/very reliable and shows good judgement/is very tall and heavy and most suitable for Handley Page bombers.. He joined 215 Squadron during the following re-equipping - 215 Squadron returned from Coudekerke (near Dunkirk), France to Netheravonon 25:04:1918 to replace existing HP 0/100 machines for HP 0/400 machines. 15:05:1918 215 Squadron moved to Andover 04:07:1918 215 Squadron based at Alquines joining the newly formed Independent Force 2nd/Lt Fowler's flying time to 11:07:1918 was 80 hours and 35 minutes. He had undertaken 13 bombing missions as aircraft Captain since becoming operational in early August. He had also flown as gun-layer on 5 additional missions to familiarise with night terrain. 08:08:1918 215 Squadron - one of the more unusal tasks carried out by 0/400 aircraft was to fly low over no mans land at the Battle of Amiens to drown out the noise of allied tanks taking their positions and reporting German movements 19:08:1918 215 Squadron moved to a new base at Xaffevilliers 15:09:1918 Piloting his own H P D4568 he flew 2 sorties from Xaffevilliers. His observer was 2nd Lt Thomas Victor Preedy and gunlayer 2nd Lt Hugh Reginald Dodd By 20th September he had flown 21 missions including raids on Flosperwiller, Boulay, Buhl and Morlange aerodromes. The crew missing on the night of 20/21 September 1918 (Frescaty) in aircraft C9732 was - pilot: 2nd Lt A C G Fowler/observer: 2nd Lt Clement Clough Eaves/gunlayer: 2nd Lt John Shannon Ferguson. C9732 took off from Xaffevilliers at 20:08 hours with 6 other Handley Page 0/400 aircraft on a mission to bomb targets at Frescaty. Two aircraft returned with bombs intact and four aircraft reached the objective. One aircraft C 9732 was reported missing. Apart from bombing raids 2nd Lt Fowler carried out many test and service flights from Xaffevilliers Aerodrome. The aircraft C9732 was a new machine taken on charge by 215 Squadron on 17:09:1918. The independent Force casualty returns for September 1918 show C9732 as shot down in flames near Metz and the crew buried in Metz Garrison Cemetery, although The War Graves Commission record no known grave. As such the name of 2nd Lt A C G Fowler is carved on the Flying Services Memorial in the Arras Memorial to the Missing at Fauberg d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France, with his crew members. His name is also recorded on the Hitchin War Memorial in St Mary's Churchyard and on the Roll of Honour at Hitchin Grammar School. RIP NEWSPAPER ARTICLE HERTFORDSHIRE EXPRESS 5th October 1918 We regret to learn that 2nd Lieutenant A C G Fowler, R A F, son of the late Mr and Mrs Alfred Fowler, of Hitchin, is missing. Lieutenant J P Armitage, R A F, has written to Mrs Bourne, a sister of 2nd Lieutenant Fowler as follows : - "Your brother unfortunately was one of this squadron's missing on September 20. The A C G, as he was called by the boys in the mess, was one of the most popular chaps here, and although he did not come out with the original squadron, was looked upon by the few that are left, as part and parcel of that original crowd. I lived in the same hut as he, and, in consequence, was one of his greatest pals. As a pilot he was superb, and was among the best that it has ever been my pleasure , as an observer, to fly with. Only the day previous we had the good news that the two of us would be proceeding to England on a special job; now, unfortunately, this has happened, so that takes the spice off the thing as far as I am concerned. I hear that he had been recommended for a decoration, and know for a fact that he was mentioned in dispatches a couple of times. He was a brave aviator and a gentleman." 21:09:2018 Wreath laid at Hitchin War Memorial

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