Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George was the son of Samuel BOWERS & Ellen MCINTYRE and was born in 1886 in Lisburn, County Antrim, Ireland.

His parents were married on the 27th of October 1864 in St Thomas’s Church, Dublin, Ireland.

His father was the son of Timothy BOWERS and was born in 1836 in Ireland.
His mother was the daughter of James MCINTYRE and was born in 1842 in Ireland.

George was the youngest child born into this family of at least 7 children.

His father was a labourer and his siblings were all very much older than him and some were even married before he was born.

George grew up in Lisburn, County Antrim, but sadly he was only 10 years old when his father died in 1897.

Then his mother died

His father died in 1897 in Lisburn and mother died in 1903.

Then by 1901, with his mother aging, he moved to the Main Street, Thurles Town, Tipperary, Ireland, with his brother Thomas, sister in-law Sarah and his little niece Mary & nephew Thomas.
He was attending school at the time and could read and write.

His mother then died in 1903 and by 1911 he had moved to Clanbrassil Street, Louth and was boarding with his other brother, Samuel, and was a boot salesman.

He then immigrated to South Australia and gained employment as a labourer and first lived at 'Auld Reekie', Goodwood Road.

At the age of 29, George enlisted into the AIF on the 14th of January 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 12702 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion and then the AAMC (Australian Army Medical Corps) in Mitcham Camp.

George embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A26 Suevic on the 31st of May 1916 and arrived in Plymouth on the 21st of July.
After training in England he proceeded to France on the 24th of November and after more than 4 years overseas he embarked from England on the 20th of May 1920 on board HT Kigoma.

He disembarked in Melbourne on the 15th of July and entrained to Adelaide the following day before being discharged from the AIF on the 30th of September 1920.

George married May Adelaide YOUNG on the 31st of July 1920 in the Methodist Church, Clarence Park.
May was the daughter of John William YOUNG & Fanny CHOAT and was born on the 1st of May 1894 in Goodwood, SA and lived in South Terrace at Clarence Park.

In September 1922 he purchased a home at 17 Ackland Avenue, Clarence Gardens and they welcomed little George Capper into the family on the 28th of August 1924.

George gained employment as a shop keeper at his father in-laws grocery store, the Cabra Store, on Cross Roads, Clarence Park.

George was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital on the 2nd of January 1944 and died on the 13th of January 1944 and was buried 2 days later in the St. Mary's Anglican Cemetery, Mitcham;

BOWERS—The friends of the late Mr. George Bowers are respectfully informed that his funeral will leave his late residence. 17 Ackland Ave, Clarence Gardens, on Saturday 15th, at 3 p.m.. for the St. Mary's Cemetery, South Road.
ALFRED JAMES & SON
Funeral Directors. 193 Unley Rd. Unley.

Military

At the age of 29, George enlisted into the AIF on the 14th of January 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 12702 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion and then the AAMC (Australian Army Medical Corps) in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his sister in-law, Mrs Sarah BOWERS of Drumbee, Kilnaleck, County Cavan, Ireland as his next of kin.

On the 1st of March he was transferred to the newly formed 11th Australian Field Ambulance, B Section.
They commenced training in the hills to the south of Mitcham. This training was to prove remarkably valuable, as the terrain was very similar to that which they would soon encounter in France.

George embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A26 Suevic on the 31st of May 1916 and arrived in Fremantle 5 days later to pick up the 44th Battalion.
They sailed again the following day and reached Durban on the 21st of June and Cape Town 4 days later.
After 2 days here they continued to Cape St. Vincent and then arrived in Plymouth on the 21st of July, where they disembarked and entrained to Larkhill Camp on the Salisbury Plain, for further training.

They spent four months in the Salisbury Plain in training before marching to Amesbury Station on the 24th of November 1916, entrained to Southampton and proceeded to France.
On this cold, wet and depressing day they were on their way to the Western Front only eight and a half months after being raised in balmy South Australia.

They arrived in Le Havre the following day and marched to Docks Rest Camp and then entrained the next day to their billets in Bailleul.
Two days later they took over the Divisional Rest Station from the 9th Australian Field Ambulance in Steenwerck, where they had 107 patients.
They spent Christmas 1916 here and then treated 2538 patients before moving to L’Estrade on the 26th of February and then onto Armentieres.

They undertook various duties in support of the Third Division which included; running sector medical posts and stations, operating Advanced Dressing Stations and running rest areas.

By early May they had moved to Pont d’Nieppe and then onto Pont d’Achelles in early June, before taking over the Advanced Dressing Station at Kandahar Farm, near Wulverghem.
During their time on the Western Front the Ambulance was involved in numerous areas and sectors including Ploegsteert and Messines where no carry was less than 2 miles over ground which was shell-churned and trackless.

By mid July they had opened an Advanced Dressing Station at Westhof Farm and then by early August they took over the Field Hospital at Rue-de-Muss, near Bailleul.
Then a few weeks later they took over the Field Ambulance Station at Ouve-Wirquin where they remained until the 1st of October when they took over Red Farm, Divisional Posts and the Gas Treatment Centre at Brandhoek.
Here they treated the sick and wounded from the Battle of Broodseine Ridge, Passchendaele and Flanders Ridge.

On the 22nd of October they entrained from Ypres to Wizernes and marched to Ouve-Wirquin Dressing Station before moving to Nieppe on the 14th of November.
Whilst here, on the 12th of December, George was admitted into his own Field Ambulance suffering from Trench Feet.
Six days later he was transferred to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station in Bailleul.

George spent Christmas 1917 here before being well enough to be discharged back to his unit on the 16th of March at Vieul Moutier.
The following week they closed this Dressing Station and moved onto Steenvorde, Blaringhem, Arques, Franvillers and Querrieu where they treated the wounded from the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux.

On the 21st of May they took over the Advanced Dressing Station at Villers-Bretonneux from the 4th Australian Field Ambulance and then moved to Allonville on the 1st of July.
The following day the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr William Hughes, visited them.

Four weeks later, they moved to Petit Camon and then onto the Main Dressing Station near Daours and Fouilloy before opening the Advanced Dressing Station at Hamel.
Their next move was to the Woolen Mills at Daours on the 13th of August and then 2 weeks later they opened a Main Dressing Station near Bray-sur-Somme, followed by a move to Clery-sur-Somme and Halle.

On the 11th of September they moved to Doingt for rest and training.
Whilst here, George suffered with a badly ingrown and infected toe nail and was admitted into the 12th Casualty Clearing Station on the 15th of September.
He was then transferred by No 19 Ambulance Train two days later and admitted into the 9th General Hospital in Rouen on the 18th.
The following day he was evacuated to England and admitted into the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham.

George spent 2 months here before being discharged to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield on the 22nd of November and during this time the Armistice was signed.
Four days later he was discharged and granted 2 weeks leave before reporting to No.4 Command Depot in Hurdcott on the 10th of December 1918.
He was then posted to the Army Medical Corps Training Depot in Fovant 4 days later and spent Christmas 1918 here before being transferred to Headquarters of the Army Medical Corps Training Depot in London on the 3rd of January 1919.

On the 30th of November 1919 George became eligible for 15 days extra leave.
After spending his last Christmas away from friends in Australia, George was detached for duty with 11th Field Ambulance, as Headquarter Staff, on the 28th of February 1920.
He was then granted leave from the 13th of March until the 20th of April.

George embarked from England on the 20th of May 1920 on board HT Kigoma, disembarked in Melbourne on the 15th of July and entrained to Adelaide the following day.

George was discharged from the AIF on the 30th of September 1920 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.