John enlisted in June 1940 and married his fiancé Patricia Crosland soon after. In April 1941 his Regiment went to Egypt; the formation which penetrated to Benghazi and was in the ‘Battle of Knightsbridge’ and the break-through at El Alamein.

The battalion then moved to Italy. As a tank commander during an attack on the Gothic Line his machine was disabled by enemy fire. Ordering his crew to evacuate the tank he covered their withdrawal with a tommy gun but was killed as he followed them to safety on Saturday 2^nd September 1944 at the age of 31. John is buried in Gradara War Cemetery, Italy.

‘From mud, through blood, to the green fields beyond’

Husband of Patricia Bower: son of Wallace Bower & Emily Bower of Holmfirth, Yorkshire.

A copy of John's story is available for download here.

See also the Commonwealth War Graves Commission permanent digital memorial, ‘Evermore: Stories of the fallen’ relating to:-
Corporal John Gordon BOWER