Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of James Bowley a cow keeper and grazier, born 1855 in Shepshed, Leics., and his wife Mary, born 1853 in Shepshed, Leics. Arthur was born in 1881 in Nanpantan, Leics., he had one sibling, a brother Alfred, born 1879 in Nanpantan, Leics., in April 1881 the family home was at Nanpantan, Leics. In April 1891 Arthur was a scholar and was residing in the family home at Forest Road, Loughborough, Leics., together with his father, now an agricultural labourer, his mother and siblings, Alfred, Herbert, born 1883 in Shepshed, Leics., Nelly, born 1886, Mary Agnes, born 1888 and Frank, born 1891, the latter three siblings were all born in Nanpantan, Leics. In April 1911 Arthur was employed as a quarry worker and was residing in the family home at Brick Kiln Lane, Shepshed, Leics., together with his parents and siblings, Mary, Frank, Edith, born 1894 and Gertrude, born 1896, the latter two siblings were both born in Nanpantan, Leics. His elder brother Alfred died of wounds received in action. The War Diary entry for the events from the 8th to the 10th October 1917 records. RAILWAY DUG OUTS, ZILLEBEKE. On the night of the 8th October a further change in the dispositions was made the two Companies in the front line remaining there. The two Companies from JOIST FARM moving to JETTY TRENCH in J.10.b. and Battalion HQ to a line of concrete emplacements J.10.c. central. The 8th/9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT remained in this position until the night of the 11th/12th October. The weather during the whole of this time was extremely wet, and the men suffered severely in the open trenches and shell holes which in many cases were full of water. During this tour in the line 1 officer 2nd Lt. ROBINSON was killed and 2nd Lt.’s MERCER and POCHIN were wounded. And 53 other ranks were killed and wounded.