Gunner 1016023 Eric Maurice Howell

Died Home on Thursday, 4th July 1921, age 23.
Buried to West of Church, at Moxley (All Saints) Churchyard, Moxley, Staffs.

Royal Field Artillery.
Formerly 141306 Royal Field Artillery.

Son of George Frederick and Mary Howell, of School House, Moxley; husband of Ethel Beatrice Lucy Howell, of 167a Leabrook Road, Ocker Hill, Tipton.
Born: Small Heath, Birmingham, Enlisted: Walsall, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because a Tipton resident.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/395517/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Eric Maurice Howell registered June quarter 1898 in Aston, Birmingham.

1901 Census
The Coach & Horses, 103 Oldbury Road, Smethwick, Staffs.
George Howell (28, Licensed Victualler, born Wolverhampton), his wife Mary A. (27, born Wolverhampton) and their son: Eric M. (2, born Small Heath, Birmingham).

1911 Census
The George Inn, 8 Church Street, Moxley, Staffs.
George Frederick Howell 38, Inn Keeper, born Wolverhampton), his wife Mary Ann (37, born Oaken) and their 1 surviving child of 3: Eric Maurice (12, Schoolboy, born Small Heath, Birmingham). The 2 children who died were Raymond George and Frederick Harold.

Marriage of Eric M. Howell and Ethel B.L. Hickman registered September quarter 1920 in Dudley.

Personal Data

Eric Howell's connection with Tipton was just at the end of his life, and because of his marriage. He was born in Small Heath, Birmingham, and his father 's employment as a Licenced Victualler saw the family living in Smethwick and Moxley at the 1901 and 1911 censuses.

Eric enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery on 10th May 1916 at Walsall; he was age 18 years and employed as a Turner. He served in France in 1917 and 1918, but on 22nd April 1918 suffered a "GSW-Head Severe" (GSW means Gun Shot Wound which is a general term for projectile wounds from rifle, machine gun or artillery). No records exist to prove this, but it is highly likely that he was evacuated back to England, and we do not know if he ever returned to the Western Front. On 23rd September 1919, Eric was 'de-mobbed' from the army and became a reservist, liable to recall in case of war.

On 12th September 1920, Eric married Ethel Beatrice Lucy Hickman. At the time of the 1921 Census, Ethel (and, strangely, her in-laws George and Mary Howell) were living with Ethel's parents (Job and Sarah Hickman) at 167a Leabrook Road, Ocker Hill, Tipton. Eric was not recorded at the property. As the census was on 19th June 1921, just two weeks before his death, it is possible that Eric was in hospital.

A Pension Card exists for Eric Howell in respect of a claim from his widow, Mrs Ethel Beatrice Lucy Howell of 167a Leabrook Road, Ocker Hill. The claim was refused because the disease (acute appendicitis) was contracted after his discharge from the Army. This gives rise to a conundrum, the provision of a CWGC headstone suggests that the CWGC accepted that his death was to some degree attributable to his service in the army.

Action resulting in his death

Eric re-enlisted with the Royal Field Artillery on 11th April 1921, it was a short engagement. He was discharged on 19th May 1921 as "Permanently Unfit - Paragraph 32(E) Army Reserve Regulations". His character was judged as 'Very Good' and his discharge address was "The School House, Moxley". This was the address of his parents, his wife Ethel seems to have been living with her parents in Leabrook Road, Tipton.

Eric died on 4th July 1921, less than two months after being discharged. His death certificate records the causes of death as 1). Acute appendicitis, and 2). Peritonitis. Eric's address was given as 167a Leabrook Road, Ocker Hill, Tipton. Eric was buried on 9th July in All Saints Churchyard, Moxley. He has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone despite not being in the army at the time of his death. This suggests that the CWGC believed that his recent service had contributed to some degree in his death, unlike the pension authorities.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.