Very little is known of Richard Bowker.   It is believed that at some time prior to his enlistment in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers he was employed as a Farm Hand at Bryngwyn Hall, Caerwys, Flintshire and lived on the premises.   Bryngwyn Hall was owned by Lt.Colonel Thomas Thornycroft Vernon and his sister Miss Elizabeth Cooper Vernon.  They were the children of Sir William Vernon and Jane Margaret Cooper. Lt Colonel Vernon was born on 17 December 1862 and died on 24 January 1919.  He gained the rank of Lt.Colonel in the service of the 7th Battalion Liverpool Regiment Territorial Forces Reserve.  Elizabeth Cooper Vernon died on 20 August 1956.

Richard Bowker’s Medal Index  Card  on www.ancestry.co.uk tells us that his first theatre of war was The Balkans – Gallipoli, and he entered it on the 8th August 1915. It lists his three medals and confirms both of his regimental numbers as stated above.