BOWLER, Leslie Allan
| Service Number: | 24 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 September 1914, Melbourne, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Light Horse Brigade HQ |
| Born: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 June 1892 |
| Home Town: | Geelong, Greater Geelong, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Chilwell State School, Scarsdale State School |
| Occupation: | Motor Mechanic |
| Died: | Natural Causes, New South Wales, Australia, 18 August 1983, aged 91 years |
| Cemetery: |
South Head General Cemetery, Vaucluse, New South Wales S-N-GE-286 |
| Memorials: | Geelong West Cycling Club, Newtown All Saints Church Honour Roll, Newtown Chilwell State School Roll of Honor, Smythesdale Scarsdale and District Soldiers and Scarsdale State School Pictorial Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 24, 1st Light Horse Brigade HQ, Melbourne, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 24, 1st Light Horse Brigade HQ, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orvieto embarkation_ship_number: A3 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 24, 1st Light Horse Brigade HQ, HMAT Orvieto, Melbourne |
Help us honour Leslie Allan Bowler's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Allan BOWER and Laura nee WYATT
Husband of Edna Florence Naomi BOWLER , Barwon Grange, Fyans Street, Geelong, Victoria (divorced 1918)
Remarried to Kathleen Anne BOWLER nee DINEEN in 1936
Leslie Allan Bowler was the son of Allan and Laura (Wyatt) Bowler of Barwon Grange, West Fyans Street Newtown. Leslie enlisted on 9 September 1914, aged 22 years, married to Edna Florence Naomi Bowler and residing at the same address as Leslie’s parents at Barwon Grange, Newtown. His occupation is recorded as a motor mechanic.
As a result of his trade, Leslie was initially appointed Batman to Lieutenant EN Bulcher of the Automobile Corps AIF, but later served with the 1st Light Horse Brigade. Leslie embarked from Melbourne on 28 September 1915 on the Ship Caledonia. He reported for duty on 17 October in Gallipoli and served there till the evacuation in December and on 31 December 1915 was reported as being in Alexandria Egypt. Serving now with the Motor Transport Services in Cairo, he was promoted to Corporal in August 1916 before coming down with Malaria till October 1916.
Again hospitalised in September 1917, he returned to duty and served in Palestine in early 1918 till he was ‘instructed’ to return to Australia, embarking from Suez on 19 May 1918 on the ship Port Sydney. Leslie was given 4 months leave on half pay.
From an exchange of letters in January 1918, it is recorded that Mrs Edna Bowler had an illegitimate child (a girl) to a married man from Ballarat whilst Leslie was on active service. Leslie’s early return was for ‘family reasons’. Leslie and Edna were later divorced and Leslie remarried to Kathleen Anne Dineen in 1936 after moving to Bondi Junction, Sydney.
Leslie was discharged on 21 August 1918.
Leslie’s older brother, Arthur Edward Bowler also served in WW1, enlisted on 28 June 1915 he served in Egypt and returned to Australia on 8 April 1917.
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