View source for William Michael Bowman

{{infobox soldier
| image           = [[File:Unknown.png|400px|]]
| caption         =
| image2          =
| caption2        =
| dateofbirth	  = 22 Jan 1896
| placeofbirth	  = Milton, Sydney, New South Wales
| death	          = not known
| placeofdeath	  = not known
| enlistmentage	  = 20 years
| description	  = 5'6" (1.68 m) tall; weight 129 lbs (58.5 kg); dark complexion, grey eyes, black hair
| height          = 5'6" (1.68 m)
| weight          = 129lbs 
| complexion      = dark
| eyes            = grey 
| hair            = black
| descriptionnote = 
| occupation	  = Labourer
| religion	  = Presbyterian
| address	  = Keysbrook, Western Australia
| relation	  = Father
| nextofkin       = Mr. William Bowman
| regnumber	  = [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3104229 1515]
| enlistmentdate  = 3 May 1915
| rank	          = Private
| unit     	  = 28th Battalion, 1st Reinforcement, transferred to Australian Army Service Corps / 5th Division
| embarkationdatefrom = 6 Jun 1915 
| embarkationdateto = 30 Jun 1915
| shipembarked	  = [[HMAT A2 Geelong]]
| embarkedshipnote = Fremantle to Egypt
| embarkationdatefrom2 = 
| embarkationdateto2 = 
| shipembarked2	  = 
| embarkedshipnote2 =
| dateofreturnfrom = 3 Mar 1919 
| dateofreturnto  = 21 Apr 1919
| shipreturned    = [[HMAT A14 Euripides]]
| shipreturnednote = England to Fremantle
| dateofreturnfrom2 = 
| dateofreturnto2  = 
| shipreturned2    = 
| shipreturnednote2 =
| fate1	          = Returned to Australia
| fate2           = 
| fate3           = 
| fate4           =
| monument1	  = [[Keysbrook Roll of Honour]]
| monumentnote1   =
| monument2	  = 
| monumentnote2   =
| monument3	  = 
| monumentnote3   =
| monument4	  = 
| monumentnote4   =
| monument5	  = 
| monumentnote5   =
| monument6	  = 
| monumentnote6   =
| monumentawm     =
| monumentawmnote =
| monumentother   =
| monumentothernote =
| medal1	  = [[1914-15 Star]]
| medal2          = [[British War Medal]]
| medal3          = [[Victory Medal]]
| medal4          =
}}



==Pre War==
William arrived in Albany, Western Australia from Sydney with his parents Henry Bowman and Emily Maria Claydon (Clayton) on 12 Jan 1897 aboard the ''SS Darmstadt''. On arrival they moved to Fremantle

==War Service==
Enlisted in Pinjarra.  On entry to camp was allocated to the 28th Battalion, 1st reinforcement draft. Following training the battalion was prepared for travel to Egypt, with the 1st Reinforcements travelling separate to, and in advance of the battalion proper aboard [[HMAT A2 Geelong]]. 


William joined [[28th Battalion]] proper on 18 Aug 1915 while they are manning the Cairo Citadel.  On 3 Sep 1915 the 28th entrained for Alexandria where they boarded the [[HMT Ivernia]] and sailed for Gallipoli at 5pm on 4 Sep 1915. On 10 Sep 1915 he transferred to the [[HMS Sarnia]] for the journey from Mudros harbour to Anzac Cove.


On 2 Oct 1915 William presented to the [[7th Field Ambulance]] with influenza before being seen by the 16th Casualty Clearing Station on 7 Oct 1915.  Diagnosed with meningitis he was placed on board [[HMHS Soudan]] and on 13 Oct 1915 he was admitted to hospital in Malta. Later evacuated to England, he was admitted to the 3rd Southern General Hospital in Oxford on 9 Sep 1915. 


On recovery Bill was sent to the Australian Convalescent Depot and then to Monte Video camp at Weymouth before being reclassified and transferred to the Service Corps  as a driver on 30 Aug 1916.  During this period he is treated for Venereal Disease from 11 Feb to 21 Apr 1916.


Bill was AWOL from 6 Oct to 8 Oct 1916 while based at Park House. On 26 Oct 1916 he was taken on strength of the 3rd Division Training Base Details before being admitted to the [[Fargo Military Hospital]] with malaria on 26 Nov 1916.  Released from hospital on 5 Dec 1916.


From 31 Mar 1917 to 8 Aug 1917 (a total of 131 days), he was treated for Venereal Disease at the [[1st Australian Dermatological Hospital]] in Bulford.


In late September he faced a District Court Martial in Hurdcott for being AWOL from 9 - 29 Sep 1917, before being found guilty and goaled for 42 days in the Chelmsford Detention Barracks.  Total loss of pay was 82 days.
 

William returned to France via Southampton on 19 Dec 1917, soon after being charged with neglecting to obey AIF HQ Orders.  On 4 Jan 1918 he was taken on strength by the [[5th Division Train]] and remained with them, trouble free, until he reported sick to hospital on 29 Oct 1918.  Transferred to England on 3 Nov 1918, he was sent home on 3 Mar 1919 with bronchial pneumonia. During the voyage home he spent two days in the ship's hospital with heat stroke. Bill was discharged by the 5th Military District 18 Jun 1919.

==Post War==

==Notes==
identified via AIF Project site based on address at time of enlistment. William's maternal Grandmother Rachel Claydon was a Buderwang/Yuin woman from southern coastal New South Wales who had been removed from her family and fostered by Henry Christie Claydon and his wife Sarah Maria Faulks.
<references />

==External Links==
*[https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=28918 AIF Project]
*[https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/218590 RSL Memorial]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowman , William}}

[[Category:Soldier]]
[[Category:Indigenous Australian]]
[[Category:Born Australia]]
[[Category:Born NSW]]
[[Category:Returned to Australia]]
[[Category:Labourer]]
[[Category:Presbyterian]]
[[Category:Serpentine-Jarrahdale]]