BOWNESS, Marshall Vivian Muir
| Service Number: | 411212 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 April 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Warrant Officer |
| Last Unit: | No. 20 Squadron (RAAF) |
| Born: | Ryde, New South Wales, Australia, 12 November 1916 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Hurstville & Sydney Technical Colleges, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Accountant |
| Died: | Flying Battle, Roti Island, Lesser Sunda Islands, Netherlands East Indies, 28 January 1945, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Commemorated ~ Column 9, Ambon Memorial, Indonesia. |
| Memorials: | Ambon Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement 411212 | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Apr 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, 411212 | |
| 28 Jan 1945: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer, 411212, No. 20 Squadron (RAAF), Darwin, Northern Territory |
Help us honour Marshall Vivian Muir Bowness's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Marshall Vivian Muir BOWNESS was born in Ryde, NSW on 12th November, 1916
His parents were Harry Vivian BOWNESS & Florence Caroline Flegg MUIR who married in Sydney in 1915
He married Vera PURVIS in Sydney on 7th December, 1940 - two known children, Ronda & John
He enlisted with the RAAF on 27th April, 1941 and died in a Flying Battle on Roti Island on 28th January, 1945 whilst in a Catalina Aircraft A24 -204 - his death was presumed with no known grave
His name is memorialised on the Australian War Memorial, Ambon War Memorial & Catalina Base Memorial, Rathmines, NSW
Biography contributed by Mari Walker
Warrant Officer MVM Bowness was a member of 20 Squadron which was formed at Port Moresby in New Guinea on 1 August 1941. Equipped with the PBY Catalina and Empire flying boats, the unit's first task was to conduct extensive seaward patrols and clear three Japanese vessels from Australian waters.
The squadron relocated to Bowen in Queensland in May 1942 and in September 1944 the squadron moved from Cairns to Darwin and for the next month flew sorties over Bangka Strait, the Celebes, and Java. Later in the year the unit helped mine Manila Harbour in preparation for the American advance on Mindanao. In 1945 missions were also flown to lay mines off the coast of China and drop and extract special agents behind enemy lines.
P/O Brown was one of 9 crew in Catalina aircraft A.24-204, along with five other aircraft, which took off on an operational flight from Darwin on 27 January 1945. After refuelling, the aircraft proceeded on a mine dropping mission in the Laoet Straits. Just after midnight on 28 January, the Catalina reported the sighting of a ship, which was confirmed by the other aircraft. At the time there were violent electrical storms in the vicinity near Roti Island over which the aircraft would normally return. Unfortunately the Catalina did not return to base nor was any further communication received from the aircraft. A search was undertaken the following morning but failed to find any sign of the Catalina, nor was any wreckage found in later searches.
In January 1947 W/O Bowness and his fellow crew members were officially declared missing, presumed dead, date of presumed death being 28 January 1945.
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