Records Of The Men Of Lochbroom | 016 SIR J. E. FOWLER

Elder brother of Captain Alan Fowler, whose record appears on a preceding page, and eldest son of Sir John Arthur Fowler, Bart., of Braemore, Ross-shire, N.B., whom he succeeded as third baronet in 1899.

Captain Sir John Fowler joined the 2nd Seaforths in 1904 ; for three years he acted as Assistant Adjutant, and as Officer in charge of the Brigade Machine Guns. He held a Commission in the Royal Company of Archers and acted as Aide-de-Camp to the Lord High Commissioner of the Church of Scotland at Holyrood in 1907 and 1908. At the outbreak of the War he was seconded as Adjutant of the 4th Battalion, the first Highland Territorial Battalion selected for service in France. After two months’ training at Bedford they went to the Front in November, 1914, taking part in an engagement at Festubert in the following month, and in the battles of Neuve Chapelle and Aubers Ridge. Captain Fowler was killed in the trenches on 22nd June, 1915, near Richebourg l’Avoué. He was mentioned in Sir John French’s Despatch of November, 1915, “for gallant and distinguished conduct in the field.”

“He was one of the very best young Officers I have ever met, and an example to all others. It was mainly due to his wonderful influence that the Battalion did so well.”

“He lived a soldier’s life, ever ready to do his duty, and one always knew how well that duty would be done. He gave us all confidence – confidence that otherwise we could never have had. He has died a soldier’s death, and we are the poorer by a very gallant gentleman and capable Officer.”

Sergeant-Major, later Lieutenant, Glass, wrote:- “He was the guide, adviser, and helpmate of every individual in the Battalion, and we miss him terribly. Defeat could not have shaken us more.”

Official record (CWGC)

Cemetery / Memorial: Foich Burial Ground, Locbhroom, U.K.

Grave: Panel 38 and 39.

Location and Map (CWGC)

Local Memorial: Ullapool, Middle Panel, No. 1.

Official records record his age as 31 and not 30 as stated above. In the Seaforth Highlanders he served in the 2nd Bn. & was attached to both 1st and 4th.

His grave in Foich holds the following commemoration: “SACRED TO THE BELOVED MEMORY OF SIR JOHN EDWARD FOWLER 3RD BART. OF BRAEMORE ROSS-SHIRE CAPTAIN 2ND BATTALION SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS (ROSS-SHIRE BUFFS) KILLED BY SHELL FIRE ON JUNE 22ND 1915 AT RICHEBOURG LAVOUE FRANCE IN THE 31ST YEAR OF HIS AGE HAVING BEEN BORN AT INVERBREOOM, LOCHBROOM ON APRIL 21ST 1885 AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH HE WAS ADJUTANT OF THE 4TH SEAFORTHS (ROSS-SHIRE TERRITORIAL BATTALION) WHICH LATER FORMER PART OF THE RENOWNED 51ST DIVISION HE TOOK PART IN THE BATTLES OF NEUVE CHAPPELLE AND OF AUBERS RIDGE HE WAS MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES NOVEMBER 1915 FOR GALLANT AND DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT IN THE FIELD HE WALKED WITH GOD HIS NAME SHALL ENDURETH FOREVER”