Lance Corporal Albert Bowmer

Lance Corporal Albert Bowmer was the son of William and Fanny Bowmer, of Breaston, Derbyshire.

He was enlisted into the South Wales Borderers prior to volunteering for airborne forces shortly after the formation of 1st Parachute Brigade.

Private Bowmer qualified as a  military parachutist on course 8, which ran at RAF Ringway in February 1942, and was posted to 1st Parachute Battalion (1 Para Bn).

Shortly before 1 Para Bn deployed to North Africa for Operation Torch he was serving as a Private in No 2 Section, 9 Platoon, T Company (Coy). He was promoted to Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) during the campaign in North Africa.

After several months hard fighting 1st Para Bn was sent to occupy positions close to the Beja-Sedjenane road in the Tamera Valley in March 1943. Shortly after their arrival, the 1st Battle of Tamera started, when 1st and 2nd Para Bn positions were subject to an attack by four regiments comprising German, Austrian and Italian troops.

During this attack S Coy (1st Para Bn) position's were over run and Lt Col Pearson, Commanding Officer of 1st Para Bn, ordered T Coy to mount a counter-attack to retake the positions. Although this task was achieved, there were several casualties including L/Cpl Bowmer. 

L/Cpl Bowmer died on 8 March 1943, aged 27 years old, and is now buried at Medjez-el-Bab War Cemetery, Tunisia. 

Cemetery photograph courtesy of CWGC.