My Great Grandparents' War Stories

Had it not been for one tragic event I wouldn't have existed nor would my sister Imogen, Dad or Grandad Bowker.

My Great Granny Margaret Sofia Roberts was engaged to be married during the early part of the war to Dick Howe, a pilot in the RAF. By all accounts Dick was a kind man who was ready to help anyone. On the eve of their wedding day Dick was about to travel when his Wing Commander asked if he would do him a favour and fly a plane north. Dick was stationed somewhere in the south of England. Dick readily agreed and tragically the plane crashed. Dick was killed. One cannot imagine the grief experienced by my Great Granny.

Some months past and her father George Roberts (a serving soldier in the First World War in Salonika) took his daughter to one side and suggested she join up. My Great Granny joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, referred to as ATS. After a period of training at Oswestry, a Shropshire market town, she was transferred and played her part in supporting the British Army. My Grandad tells me that she never really spoke about her service years, but he got the impression she made a success of it and made lifelong friends as a result.

She met my Great Grandad William Bowker (or Billy as he was known), a Captain in the British Army with the Lancashire Fusiliers. The Lancashire Fusiliers garrison/HQ was based at Wellington Barracks, Bury.

My Great Grandad and his brother, Tom Bowker, ran a leather business in Denton. Their business was considered a 'reserved occupation', an occupation considered important enough to the country that those serving in such occupations were exempt and even forbidden to join the military. One can only speculate how the brothers arrived at the decision. Anyhow it was my Great Grandad that served with the Lancashire Fusiliers. I am informed by my Grandad that my Great Grandad served with distinction in occupied France. He was captured twice and escaped twice.

My Great Granny remarried in 1964 to Joseph Cardon Mallalieu who was a pilot during the Second World War. My Dad knew him as his Grandad. So really, I can claim I had two Great Grandads. He rarely spoke of his service with the RAF during the war, though my Grandad knows he flew both here and in the Middle East. One story that did emerge was during a mission his plane was hit heading home and caught fire. He ordered his crew to bail out and all did safely. Believing he could land the damaged plane, he did and thought nothing of it.

So, my Bowker side of the family certainly served, as indeed did so many other families did during 1939-1945. They helped in giving us our lives we enjoy today.

I would also mention my Granny Wendy Bowker. Her father John Roche served during the First World War in France, as did his brother Eric. Sadly, Eric suffered badly being traumatised with shell shock. I am told that poor Eric never ever enjoyed an active life afterwards.

We shall remember them and all those who served. I think though that as well as remembrance it is also a time for reflection. There is only one human race, and we must learn from the past and stop fighting one another.