He was around 18 years old, and a
Private in the 2nd Battalion,
90th Regiment of Foot (Perthshire Volunteers),
British Army during the
Zulu War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 28 March 1879 at the
Battle of Hlobane,
South Africa, Private Fowler, with a
captain and a
lieutenant (
Henry Lysons) dashed forward in advance of the party which had been ordered to dislodge the enemy from a commanding position in natural caves up the mountain. The path was so narrow that they had to advance in single file and the captain who arrived first at the mouth of the cave was instantly killed. The lieutenant and Private Fowler undismayed by the death of their leader, immediately sprang forward and cleared the enemy out of their stronghold. ==The medal==