William Thomas Bowers was Born on May 31st 1916 at 20 Haywood Street Burslem, Stoke on Trent, his father Richard Charles Bowers was a Potter's Saggar Maker and his mother Elizabeth nèe Machin was a Potter Decorator. Richard Charles Bowers and Elizabeth Machin married in the final quarter of 1912. Elizabeth Machin had lived at 20 Haywood Street Burslem with her family from being a very young child and died there aged 35 on the 3rd of June 1916 having just given birth to their only child William Thomas. Cause of death was given as (1) Confinement (2) Constant Emesis, Complications of childbirth.

Elizabeth Machin was born circa 1880 in Burslem Stoke on Trent, her parents were William Machin born circa 1849 Burslem and mother Emma née Keen born Lawton, Cheshire circa 1843, they married December 30th 1867 at St Thomas church Kidsgrove. 

Elizabeth grew up on Haywood Street, Burslem with her older brothers William circa 1869 and Henry (Harry) circa 1874 and sister Emma J circa 1871, also living with them was an adopted son called James Brough circa 1887. 

The 1911 census shows Elizabeth aged 29, single, working as a Potter Decorator with her widowed mother Emma and the adopted son of Emma, James Brough working as a Potters Placer. 

Richard Charles Bowers was born March 2nd 1887 to Thomas Bowers and Hannah née Hollins, they married 1st July 1883 at St Paul's church Burslem. The 1911 census shows Richard Charles Bowers working as a Saggar Maker living at 8 Haywood Street Burslem with his father Thomas aged 52 and step mother Mary Jane aged 50 along with Annie Dumming, niece to his father aged 14, working as a Potters Gilder. Richard Charles Bowers had two siblings, Herbert Hollins circa 1874 and George Bowers circa 1883). 

During the First World War, Richard Charles Bowers enlisted, there are no surviving service records available to ascertain exact dates of service but from pension cards and medal Index cards we can see he had  two service numbers Pte 94514 Royal Defence Corps and 45601 Pte North Staffordshire Regiment. He also had two recorded addresses, 89 Liverpool Road Burslem and 8 Haywood Street Burslem. 

He was entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of the 6th July 1916. Primary Unit North Staffordshire Regiment No.5604 incident Date 28 Jun 1918. He was also entitled the British War medal  and Victory Medal. 

After the war in 1919 Richard Charles Bowers having returned to his role as Saggar Maker remarried to Prudence Chatterley, the 1921 census shows the couple along with William Thomas aged 5 and new baby George aged 9 months lodging at 89 Liverpool Road Burslem as lodgers of widowed Alice Johnson aged 39, her children Florrie (17), Emma (12), William (9), Jenny (7) and Levi (2). Her deceased husband Henry (Harry) Johnson was also a Potters Saggar Maker, he too enlisted as Pte 6251 North Staffordshire Regiment on the 15th November 1915 but was medically discharged 21 July 1916, he died of Tuberculosis on the 1st November 1918. 

Given that Richard Charles Bowers gave 89 Liverpool Road as his address during the war it is possible that William Thomas lived with the Johnson family whilst his father saw service. 

The next record of the Bowers family is the 1939 register living at 28 Haywood Street Burslem. Richard Charles Bowers born 02.03.1887,  working as a Marl Mixer, Prudence born 24.04.1889, Thomas 31.05.1916 working as a Potters Frame Filler, George born 30.09.1920 working as a Potters Dipper, Margeret born 13.10.1922 working as Potters Warehouse person and Lily born 22.07.1925 also working as a Potters Warehouse person. Another brother Charles Bowers was born in 1924 and died as a baby in 1925.

We don't have the service records available for Thomas Bowers but from the newspaper reports of the time we can glean he enlisted in 1939. 

Thomas Bowers married Hannah Pardoe in 1942, Hannah was born 15.03.1917 to parents Thomas Pardoe born 07.07.1894 and Hannah born 16.05.1895 the 1939 register sees them living at 1 Freehold Terrace Burslem, Hannah aged 22 was working as a Potters Biscuit Warehouse Person. Also living with them were her brother Thomas born 05.10.1919, sister Dorothy born 23.10.1926 and brother  Ronald born 03.08.1932. Three other records have been redacted. 

Her father Thomas Pardoe WW1 record Pte 28777 North Staffordshire Regiment he sustained gun shot wounds to his left leg.  

Thomas Bowers enlisted into the 7th Battalion Royal Hampshire Regiment aged 23. 

The 7th Battalion was a Territorial Army unit, originally the 5/7th Battalion until it was split into the 5th and 7th battalions when the Territorial Army was doubled in size in the spring and summer of 1939. The 7th Battalion remained in the United Kingdom, training until just after the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944.

 On 22th June 1944, 7th Hampshire landed on the Normandy beaches near le Hamel, where 1st Hampshire had landed 16 days earlier.

Initially in reserve, but on 10th July they were given the task of capturing and holding the village of Maltot and the woods beyond. This entailed a long advance down a slope with little cover and in full view of the enemy.

7th Hampshire attacked at 8.15am supported by tanks. Advancing towards Maltot, they met fierce opposition and sustained heavy casualties. Part of the Battalion did manage to enter the village where they attempted to secure defensive positions. Unfortunately, they ran into a very strongly defended enemy position with Tiger tanks concealed and dug in on the outskirts of the village. Consequently, the enemy were able to counter attack strongly and the situation for the companies in the village became hopeless.  Although help came from reinforcements, they eventually had to withdraw.  The casualties suffered were high, 18 officers and 208 Other Ranks were killed, wounded or missing.

The sentinel newspaper reports on Thursday 3rd August 1944 Missing:

Two North Staffordshire soldiers are reported missing while serving overseas. They are:-

Fusilier Frank Boulton, of Longton; and Private Thomas Bowers, of Burslem.

Sympathy will be extended to the relatives in their period of anxiety.

Fusilier Boulton, who is 27. is the husband of Mrs M. Boulton. 46. Howard-street, Longton, and son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Boulton. 18; Grosvenor-street. Longton. He has been in the Forces since 1940. 

Private Bowers, whose wife. Mrs. Hannah Bowers. lives with her parents at 1. Freehold-terrace. Middleport, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bowers, 28. Haywood-street. Burslem. 

Some 15 months later the Sentinel Newspaper reports. 

Death of Burslem Soldier

Mrs. T Bowers, who resides with her parents, Mr. and Mrs Pardoe, at 1. Freehold-terrace. Middleport. Burslem, has received news that her husband Private Thomas Bowers, reported missing on July 10th. 1944 is now presumed to have died of wounds in France.  He was the son of 10 Mr and Mrs. Bowers, of 28. Haywood street, Burslem. Before joining the Forces four and half years ago, he was employed by Doulton and Royal Doulton Co. Ltd Doulton Potteries. 

A memorial service will be held at the Methodist Chapel. Liverpool-road. Burslem, on Sunday. 

Thomas Bowers is commemorated on the Bayeux memorial panel 15 column 1. As his body was not found. He is also commemorated on the Royal Doulton Burslem Memorial. 

He was entitled to the 1939-1945 Star, the France Germany Star, the Defense Medal 1939-1945 and the War Medal 1939-1945.

Thomas and Hannah did not have children and Hannah remarried Roy Goodwin in 1946, they had one child. 

Thomas' sister Margaret Bowers married Raymond Newill in 1951 in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, they had three children, Margaret died in 1995. 

Lily married William Tweats in 1950 in Stoke on Trent Staffordshire, they had one child,  Lily died in Stoke on Trent Staffordshire 12th May 1990. 

There are no records found as yet for George Bowers having married. 

Sources 

• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
• Marriage Bowers/Machin FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
• Birth; General Register Office; United Kingdom; Reference: Volume 6b, Page 259
• E. Bowers death General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 6b; Page: 163
• Fold3, UK, WWI, British Army Medal Roll Index Cards, 1914-1920 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/932/uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920 : accessed 22 Mar 2026), database and images, https://www.fold3.com/publication/932/uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920 
• Marriage Bowers/Chatterley General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 6b; Page: 209
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12616, ED 2, Sch 182; Book: 12616
• The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/5280F
• Marriage Bowers/Pardoe General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 6b; Page: 379
• Forces War Records, UK, WWII, British Army Medal Cards, 1939-1945 (https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1439/uk-wwii-british-army-medal-cards-1939-1945 : accessed 22 Mar 2026), database and images, https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1439/uk-wwii-british-army-medal-cards-1939-1945
• Forces War Records, UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 (https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1330/uk-army-roll-of-honour-1939-1945 : accessed 22 Mar 2026), database and images, https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1330/uk-army-roll-of-honour-1939-1945
• Forces War Records, UK, WWI & WWII, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Death Registers, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947 (https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1286/uk-wwi-wwii-commonwealth-war-graves-commission-death-registers : accessed 22 Mar 2026), database and images, https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1286/uk-wwi-wwii-commonwealth-war-graves-commission-death-registers
• https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2627068/thomas-bowers/
• Daniell, DavidScott (2009) [1955]. The Royal Hampshire Regiment 1918-1954 (Volume III). regimental history. Naval & Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84574-257-7.
• https://www.royalhampshireregiment.org/about-the-museum/timeline/7th-battalion-north-west-europe/
• https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000525/19440803/007/0001 
• https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000525/19450911/026/0001