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CWM 19920166-1413
CWM 19920166-1413
CWM 19420005-002
CWM 19420005-002

Private

Bowden, Charles Cecil

Unit

2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion (Eastern Ontario)

Branch

Infantry

Service Component

Canadian Expeditionary Force

Service Number

636860

birth

1896/12/22

Belleville, Ontario, Canada

death

1917/05/12

France

grave

Canadian National Vimy Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France

Gender

Male

Charles Cecil Bowden was born in Belleville, Ontario, on 22 December 1896.

Bowden was working as a grocery clerk when he enlisted in the 155th Canadian Infantry Battalion in Belleville, on 18 March 1916. He sailed to England with his unit on SS Northland on 18 October 1916 and was appointed acting lance corporal the same day. After arriving at Camp Bramshott, a Canadian military facility in Hampshire, Bowden requested to revert to the rank of private, so that he could proceed to France. His request granted, he was transferred to the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion (Eastern Ontario) and joined the unit in France on 9 December 1916.

On 27 February 1917, Bowden was hospitalized at No. 7 General Hospital in Saint-Omer, France, suffering from mumps. He returned to the 2nd Battalion on 20 March 1917.

On 3 May 1917, Bowden was reported wounded during the Battle of Fresnoy. Nine days later, on 12 May 1917, the report was changed to wounded and missing. On 28 January 1918, Canadian military authorities declared that Bowden, who was still missing, was presumed to have died on or after 3 May 1917.

Charles Cecil Bowden is commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, on Vimy Ridge, in France.

The Canadian War Museum’s Collection includes the following artifacts for this recipient