William Willie Bowen, which regiment or War ???

[decota]

William Willie Bowen,   marriage 24 Nov. 1889,  Hounslow, Middlesex.
b. 26 Sept. 1852 Zante Island Greece, Brittish subject, (his father George Bowen, killed in Crimean War)
d. 07 Oct. 1911 Hounslow, Middlesex  aged 59 yrs

 Information I have suggest he was," called to foreign parts  shortly after his marriage".
The information is in a newspaper article relating to the Dunmow Flitch 1891,  when
William Willie Bowen and wife Ellen Charlotte  won the Flitch.

South Wales Echo  August 5 1891 

I have a photo of them both standing beside the Flitch they won.
William Willie Bowen wearing war Medals in the photo.
Help will be most appreciated
Decota

[KGarrad]

Campaign medals were awarded:


East & West Africa Medal. 1892
British South Africa Company Medal (1st Matabele War 1893/4)
Central Africa Medal, 1895
British South Africa Company Medal (2nd Matabele War 1896/7)
India Medal, for North-West Frontier, 1895-1902
Ashanti Star - 2nd Ashanti Expedition, 1895/6 or 3rd Ashanti Expedition, 1898
Queen's Sudan Medal, 1896-8
any medal for the 2nd Boer War, 1899-1902

There's a full list here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_campaign_medals#Pre_World_War_I

If you can post the picture, somebody might be able to recognise the uniform and/or medals?

[decota]

thank you for your medal information

The photo is not in uniform  and I have tried to enlarge the medal but is just blurry
not a clear

Decota

[km1971]

Other than the medals in the photograph do you have any proof that William was a soldier? Census etc? Could they be other 'flitch' medals?

Just to be correct George Bowen was not killed in the Crimea. He was sent back to Scutari (Turkey)and died after ten days in hospital. So he probably died of disease There is no indication he was admitted to the hospital immediately after arriving back in Scutari. So it appears he was one of a party of fit men sent back with a party of the sick. Who then caught something in Scutari.

The muster has it that his Wife and George were 'with the regiment' when she got his back pay. The 41st were at Scutari before travelling to Varna (Bulgaria) and then on to the Crimea. A few wives managed to get to the Crimea. But it is almost certain that Mary and George stayed in Scutari.

Ken

[Annette7]

Perhaps he was wearing his fathers medals??

Annette

[km1971]

The Crimean medal is probably the easiest to recognise due to the 'curly' edge to the clasps. His father had three clasps and maybe the Turkish medal which is smaller in diameter and had no clasps.

Ken

[decota]

Yes Annette7   you may well be right.  his fathers medal..

I am going to borrow the original photo from our cousin and maybe I can see the Medal
more clearly,   my copy maybe not done at a hight resolution....
Will take me a week or two.

Decota