Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The following article appeared in The Advertiser, Adelaide, SA Monday 27 August 1934 pg.15:

"The Frontiersmen's Riding Club met at the Parkside Hotel on Saturday for a paper chase. The trail led through Linden Park, Burnside, Clifton, and Upper Kensington. Miss Stubbs and a new woman member were the path finders. The trail was laid by Captain Maitland and Mr. Hanson. Among the 30 riders were:- Misses Luce Miller, Alice Butterfield, Anthony, Nell Gallus, Messrs. Percy Bowen, A. von Sanden, Darby, Cooper, Jones, Newland, and Brummett. The club will meet next Sunday afternoon at the corner of King William Road and Park Terrace for a ride through Springfield".

The following is an extract from "The Register", Adelaide, SA issued on Wednesday 14 August 1901.

"Soldiers' Letters.
The following are extracts from a letter from Trooper Percy Bowen, of the fifth contingent, to his father, Mr. Hopkin Bowen, of Kensington, dated Kroonstad, June 18:- ' I have returned safely to our base after 11 weeks on the veldt Boer chasing, and have had adventures enough to fill a small volume, especially during the last few weeks. Of course you have read of the great battle of Graspan. This was a big engagement, and eight of our lads were killed and seven severely wounded, while the Gordons and Welsh Fusiliers lost fifteen killed. It was a sad sight after the fighting was over. We had to lay our comrades out along with sixteen Boers. I cannot describe our feelings. You may know poor George Main; he was shot before he could get into the redoubt, and a scoundrel of a Boer dashed after him and jumped on has chest, smashing his ribs right in. The poor fellow died that night in terrible agony. Do you remember Frank Hamp? He used to live on the Parade, Norwood, and was a schoolmate of mine. The night before the battle we were talking of old times and about those at home, and the next day he was shot through the head. It is of no use trying to tell you of my little escapes. Lord Kitchener inspected our troops yesterday, when we marched past him. He moved up a pace or two and smiled at us, and said that we were a fine body of men, and he was highly pleased with our condition, and thanked us for the good work we had done. What do you think of that? I've heard some say that he never smiles, and always says exactly what he means. He is a tall man, with a full face and sandy moustache. Today we each received a fiver, the first pay since leaving Adelaide, so you can reckon we had a good time. We are also going to have a new rig out. You ask how we get on with the 'Tommies.' They are very good fellows. I shall never forget one cold night, when we could not find our own column, and we struck Gen. Low's column, and they could give us neither rations nor blankets; the gunners of 0 Batttery, Royal Horse Artillery, were on less than half rations, but they shared them with us, and their blankets also. The life out here suits me splendidly. I've not seen a doctor or tasted a drop of medicine since I left Adelaide, and I'm two stone heavier".