Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas and Susan Bowett. Herbert James was born in 1895 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, in April 1911 Herbert was employed as a shoe maker and was residing at 8, Chapel Street, Melton Mowbray, this being the family home of his widowed foster mother, Mary Ann Rowe, a dressmaker, born 1860 in Stamford, Lincolnshire. Herbert’s parents, or any respective details have not been traced, and his date and place of birth cannot be officially confirmed, additionally the family surname has been variously recorded as Bosette, Bovette, Boutte and Bonette. What has been established through a copy of Herbert’s last will and testament are the details of his three beneficiaries who were, his foster mother Mary Ann Rowe of 8, Chapel Street, Melton Mowbray, his sister, Ethel Bowett/Bouette/Bonette, born in the second quarter of 1904 in Melton Mowbray, who in April 1911 was residing c/o Mrs. Cooke, Eaton, Near Grantham, Lincolnshire and his young lady, Miss Fanny Cotton of 25, Thorpe End, Melton Mowbray. Little else exists that can offer any insight into the wider family background, as his Army service record did not survive and the census, birth and death records have failed to provide any further evidence of his families history. Herbert first entered the theatre of war on the 29th June 1915, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals.
The War Diary records: 17-21-Mar-18 - FRONT LINE, EPEHY. The Battalion moved into the front line on the night of March 17th, relieving the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT. The enemy’s attitude still remained abnormal, and prisoners obtained by means of raids gave the date for the attack as the 21st or 22nd. Hostile patrols were seen or encountered in no man’s land and the extraordinary inactivity of the hostile artillery was still maintained. The weather was extremely fine, and had been so for the previous week, under the warm and continued sunshine, the ground became very dry and firm, heavy ground mists were prevalent during the early mornings. At 1.00 am on the morning of the 21st March, a patrol of 1 officer and 20 other ranks was sent out by “C” Company to obtain an identification. This patrol met with no opposition whatever and on his return the officer in charge was able to report that not a single German had been seen. At 4.30 am the hostile shelling ended its long period of inactivity and commenced a heavy bombardment of the Divisional front and to the north and south, high explosive and large quantities of gas shell were used on the front line system, the village of EPEHY and the Batteries. Very heavy shelling of villages in our back areas also took place, and it quickly became evident that the artillery preparation for an attack on a large scale was in progress. The gas bombardment was particularly severe, mustard gas being used, all ranks were compelled to wear their box respirators for at least 3 hours. When daylight came just after 6.00 am it was quite impossible to see the wire in front of the trenches on account of the thickness of the mist, a great disadvantage was thus experienced, the necessity for good observation being absolutely vital to the defenders. Towards 9.00 am the hostile artillery lifted the greater part of the fire from our front line system, and placed a -?- barrage west of EPEHY on the Battery positions and all approaches. Telephone communications with two of the front line Companies “C” and “D” were still working and no enemy impending attack had been reported, the thick mist still continued and observation was impossible. During the preparatory bombardment very few casualties were sustained by the Battalion and all ranks were fully prepared for the appearance of the hostile infantry. At 9.30 am the enemy infantry advanced to the attack, in accordance with the order to man battle stations the front line garrison had been withdrawn to the immediate support line, and the attack on the Battalion sector was everywhere repelled with heavy loss to the enemy. The enemy was content to hold for the line, our original front line, where he was subjected to a heavy and accurate rifle grenade and Lewis gun fire. Visibility still continued to be impossible and Forward Observation Officers were unable to inform their Batteries of the position of the hostile infantry or even give any clear idea of the situation. During the course of the morning the mist lifted slightly and at intervals strong forces of the enemy could be seen advancing towards ROHNSOY and LEMPIRE on our right. The 16th Division on our right were compelled to withdraw some distance to conform with the line on their right. Strong bombing attacks were made against our right flank held by “A” Company, on two occasions the enemy forced their way into “A” Company’s trenches, but were immediately ejected by vigorous counter bombing. Towards 1.00 pm a lull occurred in the fighting on the Battalion front and meanwhile the mist had cleared. Large forces of the enemy could be seen moving west through ROHNSOY and LEMPIRE, and large concentrations of his infantry were seen massing in the valleys east of our front line and in the neighbourhood of VAUCELETTE FARM and VILLERS GUISLAIN. During the afternoon reports received showed that the enemy has broken through our defensive system on the right and were advancing rapidly, the enemy was everywhere held on the 110th Brigade front. Towards 5.00 pm the enemy commenced to trench mortar the support line, the fire being heavy and accurate, and at 6.00pm a withdrawal was made to the RED LINE just east of EPEHY to conform with the 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT on our left who had been driven out of their support line and to link up with the left Battalion of the 16th Division on our right. The night of March 21st/22nd March passed without any further attack on the front of the hostile infantry, but the enemy artillery displayed great activity during the night chiefly on the approaches to EPEHY and the back areas.
On Friday May 10th 1918 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – MISSING MELTONIANS. – Mrs. J. Rowe. 8, Chapel-street, Melton Mowbray, has been notified that Pte. Herbert James Bowett, Leicester’s, was posted as missing after an engagement on March 22nd. Pte. Bowett, who was 23 years of age last January, was brought up by Mrs. Rowe, and prior to enlistment in September, 1914, he worked for Mr. Abbott, boot and shoe maker, King-street. On a previous occasion he was wounded in the ankle and arm, and later was invalided home with trench fever. It was only as recently as February last that he returned to France for the third time.