11/9/1914 A number of Malvern men enrolled into the Chums Company today. These men include Ernest Joseph Bowen (pictured) and Charles Henry Kings, both of the Wyche (pictured). Ernest was a clerk at Malvern Urban District Council, Charles was a worked at the Schweppes mineral water plant. They both served initially with C Company, 8th (Reserve) Battalion which became known locally as the Chums Company. However Charles was posted to the 1/8th Battalion and went overseas with them on the 31st March 1915. Ernest stayed behind in the reserve battalion, now known as the 2/8th Worcestershire Regiment and was appointed L/Cpl in January 1915. At Ploegsteert Wood on 30th May 1915 Charles was wounded. The Malvern News reported Pte C H Kings, formerly of the Chums Coy was wounded and is now at Fulham Military Hospital, Hammersmith (pictured). He is the son of Mrs H Kings of Grove Villa, Lower Wyche. While at listening post duty at about midnight he was shot in the foot. Pte E Harrison, another Malvern Chum, helped to carry him out. It is not a serious wound. While not a life threatening wound, this turned out to be the end of Pte Kings war and he was honourably discharged from the army in October 1915. Ernest however, with the 2/8th Battalion was made acting corporal in December 1915 and this rank was confirmed when the battalion landed in France on 25th May 1916. He underwent signalling training and was promoted Sergeant on 7th March 1917. He served throughout the Passchendaele Offensive and the Battle of Cambrai, Sgt Bowen was captured along with the rest of the Battalion Headquarters at Ellis Redoubt near St Quentin (site pictured in 2007, looking towards St Quentin) on 21st March 1918. He was held at Giessen in Germany. He was repatriated in December 1918 and returned to Malvern. On 24th August 1920 Ernest married Edith Mary Kings, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Kings of Grove Villa, Lower Wyche at All Saints Church, The Wyche (pictured). His brother Albert Edgar (who also served in the 1/8th Worcesters during the war) was his best man. The happy couple honeymooned in Falmouth. The Malvern News reported that “great interest was shown in the wedding.” The wedding breakfast was held at the Wyche Hall. In the evening a dance was held; the Master of Ceremonies was Ernest’s new brother in law, Charles Henry Kings.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 16:55:00 +0000
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