Royal Navy – HMS Powerful
Frank Harry Bowstead was born on 24 July 1900 at Cheltenham, the son of Charles Joseph and Sabona Bowstead of Arle Cottage, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham.
He is recorded in the CWGC Register as serving with HMS Powerful. This was a ‘protected cruiser’ built in 1896, however, HMS Powerful ll and HMS Powerful lll were both Training Establishments and it is likely that he was serving with one of these between 24 July and 6 October 1918. He had enlisted in the Royal Navy on 24 July 1918 for a term of twelve years.
He died of pneumonia and emphysema on 6 October 1918, age 18, at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and is buried in Cheltenham Borough Cemetery, with a CWGC headstone. On the Cheltenham Borough Memorial he is shown as H Bowstead.
Research by Graham Adams 14 February 2012