228022 Arthur Dowler British Army South Wales Borderers My grandfather, Arthur Dowler, served with the South Wales Borderers during WW2. He never spoke of the war to anyone - the feeling was that he was deeply traumatised having watched his friends die around him. Also he lived with the guilt of "killing the enemy". I know that he served in France, Belgium and Holland through my aunt. I also know that he went AWOL for a period following the death of his daughter...he wanted to "get home" to comfort my grandmother and his other children, but was arrested for his efforts! Any information would be much appreciated as he has since passed away. My aunt seems to think that he was asked to be a "sniper" - but declined under the thought that "they die first". He was a good and loving grandfather to me and I am desperate to understand his war-time efforts. I know that he saw a lot of action, but as a child he only ever showed me fragments of shrapnel lodged under his skin in an effort to warn me that "war is a bad and ugly thing that you never quite recover from...". Can anyone help me?
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