Waller Street Baths, Luton, in 1914

Some men were never cut out to be heroes in the military sense. In fact psychologically they could not even cope with military life, let alone experiencing the horrors of trench warfare.

One such man seems to have been Charles William Fowler. He had been at the Artillery Training School at Biscot Camp for only three weeks when he took his own life, drowned in a slipper bath at Waller Street Baths in Luton on April 28th, 1916.

Charles William, the son of Charles George Fowler, of Clerkenwell, London, was a single man aged just over 40 who had worked in the same job as a clerk at a distillery in London for 26 years and lived with his father. An inquest on May 1st heard that his health was not good - his heart was weak and he suffered blood circulation problems - and that he was a very nervous man who had suffered from St Vitus dance as a child.

Pte Fowler, like many men, attested as he was required to do under the Derby scheme that placed men in groups dependant on age and marital status with the object of calling up single men first. He then enlisted and was sent away the same day. Perhaps it was his first experience of being away from home and maybe he was too timid to raise his medical issues at the examination he should have had.

From observations at Tribunal cases, military medical examinations could be brief and not especially thorough. There were also cases in which men with very obvious disabilities were still sent away to obtain a medical certificate to exempt them from military service.

In April 1916 Pte Fowler arrived at the training school at Biscot. He had spent a fortnight in training and a week as a driver with No 3 Battery, C Company, Territorial Force. Lieut Malcomson, for the military authorities, said they knew of nothing that was preying on Pte Fowler's mind and might cause him to take his life.

His father also said he had received letters at home which were always bright and contained nothing to indicate he was in trouble in any way. On the Wednesday after Easter he had sent his son money he had requested so that he could buy a clock. His son had said he had only 1½d and he was sent 10 shillings.

The grim discovery of Pte Fowler's body was made by Baths Manager Mr Archibald Cooper, of 14 Crawley Green Road, Luton. He told the inquest that the soldier had arrived at the baths at about 7.40pm, and 40 minutes later, when Mr Cooper, announced that the premises were closing for the day, there was no reply from Pte Fowler's cubicle. He eventually smashed down the cubicle door and found Pte Fowler with his head drooping forward and partially under the water. The inquest heard that the soldier's feet were crossed and tied with string, and the string was carried from his feet and tied round a pipe at the back of his head.

Town Clerk Mr William Smith said they had heard from relatives that the man had suffered, and perhaps something had preyed on his mind. The man had been earning his own living, and to come down to the small pay received for service to the State might have played some part in the circumstances.

Expressing sympathy with the relatives, Mr Smith said the man had at least endeavoured to do his best for his country, which some men did not seem willing to do, and that was to his credit.

Deputy Coroner Mr G. J. M. Whyley said the circumstances of the death were quite clear and there was only one verdict the jury could return. If satisfied the man drowned himself they would have to consider the state of his mind, and from the father's evidence, given in a straightforward manner, he thought they would have to come to the conclusion that the man was not quite responsible for his actions at the time.

He had been in a sedentary occupation for 26 years, in the same employment, and nothing whatever was known against him while there was nothing against him during his short period of military service. It was quite possible the sudden change of occupation cause his nervous temperament to give way, and under an uncontrollable impulse he took his own life.

The jury returned a verdict of "suicide whilst temporarily insane".

Pte Fowler was buried with full military honours at the Church Cemetery, Luton, on Wednesday, May 3rd, 1916. The coffin was conveyed to the burial ground on a gun-waggon drawn by six horses, and there was a firing party of 13 as well as the customary trumpeters who sounded the Last Post. The committal service was conducted by the Rev J. L. White.

An indication of the family reaction of Pte Fowler's suicide may be surmised from the fact that he was buried in Luton rather than in London, there was no mention of relatives at the funeral and the only wreath was one from the directors and staff of the distillery where he had worked.

[Based around an inquest report in the Luton News: Thursday, May 4th, 1916]