Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Harry Bowery a railway signal man, born 1872 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and his wife Caroline Bowery (nee Bolton, married in the 2nd quarter of 1894 in the Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire district), born 1875 in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. Arthur Cecil was born on the 21st January 1900 in Kettering, Northamptonshire and was baptised on the 4th March 1900 in the Parish Church, Little Oakley, Northamptonshire, he had one sibling, a sister Constance Muriel, born 1896 in Higham Ferrars, Northamptonshire and baptised on the 14th March 1897 in the Parish Church, Higham Ferrars, in March 1901 the family home was at Railway Cottage, Great Oakley, Northamptonshire. In April 1911 Arthur was employed as a school newsboy and was residing in the family home at Victoria Street, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, together with his parents and siblings, Constance, William Alfred, born 1902 in Kettering, Winifred May, born 1905 and Reginald Harry, born 1909, the latter two siblings were both born in Melton Mowbray.
Arthur enlisted into the Royal Navy to serve a 12 year engagement that would commence on the 21st January 1918, enlisting on the 22nd July 1915, he was allocated the service number J/43274 in Chatham, Kent. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 4½ inches in height, he had a chest measurement of 32½ inches, his hair colour was brown with brown eyes, his complexion was described as fresh, it was noted that he had a birthmark inside his left knee. He gave his trade or calling as a postal learner. His record of service began when he joined HMS Powerful as a Boy 2nd Class on the 22/7/15 – 23/10/15. HMS Impregnable, 24/10/15 – 17/12/15, when he was promoted to Boy Telegraphist. HMS Impregnable, 18/12/15 – 25/2/16. HMS Ganges, 26/2/16 – 11/5/16. HMS Victory I, 12/5/16 – 3/8/16. HMS Woolwich (Ariel), 4/8/16 – 30/9/16. HMS Vivid II (Ariel), 1/10/16 – 31/8/17. HMS Apollo (Ariel), 1/9/17 – 30/9/17. HMS Wallington (Ariel), 1/10/17 – 20/1/18, when he was promoted to Ordinary Telegraphist. HMS Wallington (Ariel), 21/1/18 – 4/6/18, when he was promoted to Telegraphist. HMS Wallington (Ariel), 5/6/18 – 30/6/18. HMS Leander (Ariel), 1/7/18 – 2/8/18 when he was killed by a mine explosion in the North Sea.
On Friday August 9th 1918 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – MISSING. News has been received by the parents of Arthur Bowrey, Victoria-st., who joined the Navy in 1915, being then 15 years of age, that he is amongst the missing from his ship, which was torpedoed last week. Much sympathy will be felt for the bereaved family, and the hope is expressed that the lad may have been saved.