S4701
BOWEN, Victor Spurgeon
| Service Number: | 2775 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 October 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Maylands, Norwood Payneham St Peters City, South Australia, Australia, 23 January 1892 |
| Home Town: | Tea Tree Gully, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Norwood Public School, Adelaide High School |
| Occupation: | Orchardist |
| Died: | Unsure, most likely old age, Adelaide, Adelaide City, South Australia, Australia, 1 July 1979, aged 87 years |
| Cemetery: |
Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia Clearview, Port Adelaide Enfield City, South Australia, Australia Memorial ID: 158948556 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide High School Great War Honour Board, Norwood Primary School Honour Board, Tea Tree Gully War Memorial Arch Gates |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Oct 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 2775, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' |
|
| 16 Dec 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2775, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Adelaide | |
| 8 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 2775, 43rd Infantry Battalion, "The Last Hundred Days" |
Awarded the Military Medal "..broke the centre of the counter-attack.."
'On 29th September, 1918, during operations South of BONY, when the enemy were just beginning to launch a counter-attack Private BOWEN pushed well forward of our troops under heavy enemy fire taking with him a supply of bombs. Although he was continually fired at he carefully selected a suitable bombing post and from this position he was able to inflict very many casualties on the enemy and broke the centre of the counter-attack and enabled the remainder of the Company to deal with the rest of the enemy.'
Submitted 12 October 2014
Biography contributed by Modbury High School
Victor Spurgeon Bowen was born on the 23rd of January 1892 in Maylands, Norwood Payneham St Peters City, South Australia, he worked as an Orchardist before enlisting on the 17th of October 1916.
Victor Spurgeon Bowen had a wife named Evelyn Mary Allen, they had a child named Vincent Frederick Bowen. Victor Spurgeon Bowen’s parents were Frederick Arthur Bowen and Edith Mary Whitridge, His grandparents were Charles Bowen, Elizabeth Burford, William Whitridge Roberts Whitridge and Charlotte Elizabeth Walduck. On Victor’s wife’s side was William Allen the father, and Frances Priscilla Budge the mother. He was not married before the war, his marriage was on the 4th of January 1921, in Stepney South Australia (Family Tree).
Some Characteristics of Victor on the day of his enlistment were:
24 years, and 9 Months Old.
He was 5 foot 7 Inches Tall.
He weighed 126 lbs.
His eyes and hair were brown.
He was a Baptist.
During the war
Victor Spurgeon Bowen enlisted on the 17th of October 1916, and he departed Adelaide on the 16th of December 1916 on the HMAT Berrima, standing for ‘His Majesty’s Australian Transport’, this ship was used to transport troops. (VWMA History)
Details from his service record
‘Taken On Strength 43rd In the Field 43rd Battalion’ 18-20th of April 1917.
‘To Hospital Sick’ on the 29th of December 1917. Released 11th of January 1918.
‘To Hospital Sick’ on the 11th of March 1918. Released 29th of March 1918.
His main unit was 3rd A.D.B.D Which stands for Armoured Division Base Depot, specializing in mechanized warfare. This was a hub for equipment, resources and rest. He stayed in a 43rd battalion the whole war before being promoted to Corporal. He was awarded a Military medal (43rd Battalion): “On 29th September 1918 during operations South of BONY when the enemy were just beginning to launch a counter-attack Private BOWEN pushed well forward of our troops under heavy enemy fire taking with him a supply of bombs. Although he was continually fired at he carefully selected a suitable bombing post and from this position, he was able to inflict very many casualties on the enemy and broke the centre of the counter-attack and enabled the remainder of the Company to deal with the rest of the enemy.”
He was discharged on the 6th of February 1920.
After the war:
He married Evelyn Mary Allen on the 4th of January 1921 at the age of 28 years old, he had a child named Vincent Frederick Bowen in 1922 at the age of 29 years old. Victor’s dad died on the 28th of May 1938, Victor being 46. Victor’s mother died on the 9th of September 1948, Victor being 56.
Victor Spurgeon Bowen lived a long life dying at 86 years old.
(Family Tree)
Bibliography
(https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51483#:~:text=The%2043rd%20Battalion%20spent%201917,Spring%20offensive%20at%20Villers%2DBretonneux.)
(https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/about/MBKD-LC8)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158948556/victor-spurgeon-bowen#view-photo=251026568
https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/33923105?p=12181329&returnLabel=Elizabeth%20Burford%20(LH29-17N)&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FLH29-17N
https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/28791678?p=10451495&returnLabel=William%20Whitridge%20Roberts%20Whitridge%20(LCX4-9WB)&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FLCX4-9WB
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