Profile

BOWLES, William Bernard
(Service number 24/978)

William Bernard Bowles, circa 1915
Medal set, William Bernard Bowles
Military Medal, edge stamp, William Bernard Bowles
1914-15 Star, verso, William Bernard Bowles
Waimate War Memorial, pictured in 2011
Waimate War Memorial (left panel), pictured in 2011
Aliases
First Rank Corporal Last Rank Sergeant

Birth

Date Unknown Place of Birth

Enlistment Information

Date Age
Address at Enlistment 10 Victoria Ave, Invercargill
Occupation
Previous Military Experience
Marital Status Single
Next of Kin W.G Bowles (father), Waimate
Religion
Medical Information

Military Service

Served with NZ Armed Forces Served in Army
Military District

Embarkation Information

Body on Embarkation 2nd Battalion, NZ Rifle Brigade
Unit, Squadron, or Ship D Company
Date 9 October 1915
Transport Maunganui or Tahiti or Aparima or Navua or Warrimoo
Embarked From Wellington Destination Suez, Egypt
Other Units Served With
Last Unit Served With NZ Rifle Brigade, 2nd Battalion

Military Awards

Campaigns
Service Medals 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal
Military Awards Military Medal

Award Circumstances and Date

London Gazette 2 Apr 1918, p4023, Rec No 1817: For conspicuous gallantry in the Reutel Sector on the 17th January 1918. This NCO after observing an artillery shoot on an enemy strong point, organised a patrol of four men and volunteered to enter the enemy post. He led this patrol and reconnoitered the position during daylight and under machine gun fire and direct rifle fire from an enemy position 50 yards distant. He obtained identification from enemy dead and wounded, and captured an emeny machine gun which he carried back to our lines. The men have spent some time under very trying weather conditions and this NCO's initiative has instilled into all an excellent offensive spirit. His work on action and in the line on repeat occasions has been very good.

Prisoner of War Information

Date of Capture
Where Captured and by Whom
Actions Prior to Capture
PoW Serial Number
PoW Camps
Days Interned
Liberation Date

Discharge

Date Reason

Hospitals, Wounds, Diseases and Illnesses

Post-war Occupations

Death

Date 6 April 1918 Age
Place of Death Somme, France
Cause Killed in action
Notices
Memorial or Cemetery Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps, Somme, France
Memorial Reference I. I. 7
New Zealand Memorials On Memorial wall, Timaru; Waimate First World War Memorial

Biographical Notes

William Bowles was the son of Mr and Mrs W.G Bowles of Waimate

Sources

Cenotaph Oct 2013

External Links

Related Documents

Researched and Written by

Carol Bell, SC branch NZSG & Timaru Herald

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.

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