Name: Frederick Henry Gower
Died on: Thursday, 11th March 1943
Died at: Silverhill Junction, 5 and 7 Sedlescombe Road North, St Leonards
Additional Information: Frederick Gower, a Firewatcher aged 52, was killed when several Focke Wulf 190s and Messerschmitt Bf 109s strafed with machine gun fire and dropped 25 HE Bombs on Silverhill Junction, St Matthew’s Schools, Strood Road, Alma Terrace, Alma Villas, Perth Road, Adelaide Road, Battle Road, Aldborough Road, Clarence Road, Salisbury Road, King Edward Avenue, Salisbury Road, Bohemia Road, Springfield Road, Combermere Road, Burry Road, Blomfield Road, Holmesdale Gardens and St Helens Road. One of the worse attacks on the town during the war, 37 other people died and 90 more were injured, 39 seriously.
Frederick, the son of Frederick Thomas and Harriett Susannah Gower, was married to Edith Hannah Gower. He lived at 7 Sedlescombe Road North.
I was unable to locate Frederick’s grave marker in the main area of WW2 war graves, so he is likely buried else where on site. I will look to find it when I revisit Hastings Cemetery.
If you can provide more information about this person, please comment below or contact me here.
I don’t know if this is still relevant but Frederick Henry Gower has a memorial by the adjacent roadway in either section MH or LB (no apparent section marker posts). It has white marble kerbs but no headstone. His name, date of death, age, and “killed by enemy action” are on the righthand kerbstone. It looks as if someone recently has dug around the grave to expose the kerbs and hence, this inscription. I have a recent photo but can’t send it because your email seems to be not working.