Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Hay I cant get poor old Bill Bowley out of my mind, I expected to hear better news of him in your last letter but there is always a chance after hearing of C. Downie's case. I can say with all honesty that Bill Bowley was the finest chap I ever knew although a bit strange, but he was so generous, such a true sport so interesting and so straight and I have had some great nights with him at billiards as you know. He was that sort that when got a fluke he would say good luck to you and if he got one himself he wanted to stop the break. Dad will know the type exactly. Isn’t it strange the different paths a chap travels along in his life's course. Take Bowley and Macpherson, they both leave S.& Ltd. with the same intentions and plans and both act up to them for a while, but Macpherson in his course sees a course road which he thinks leads to where he wants to go to but is not quite sure, anyhow he turns off into it and from thence onwards he enters along entirely different paths, but still believing he will get to where he first set out for. Bill Bowley in the meantime has gone straight on with the one intention still in his mind and the result is that from the paper he has done that which entitles him to the name of a hero, that is, given up his life for his country. Of course Macpherson in the long run may do the same, I hope not all the same out it just shows what unknown paths we travel along by and we never know for certain where our next step may lead us to. I think it was Marian who said she could not imagine Bill as a soldier, she is right because he was not meant for one, but that just makes him more heroic.

Bill Bowley was one of six Swallow and Ariell chaps that signed up together. Swallow and Ariell was a famous biscuit manufacturer with a large factory and offices in Port Melbourne. (Arnotts of the day)

My great Uncle Harold Pleasance wrote of Bill many times in his letter home and lamented his loss when Bill was killed in action. Bill was "one of the best"