Frederick Douglas Atlee Bowra
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 9 Oct 1887 |
| Place of Birth | Perth, Western Australia |
| Death | 29 Oct 1915 |
| Place of Death | Gallipoli, Turkey |
| Age at Enlistment | 27 years, 8 months |
| Description | 5'10½" (1.m) tall; weight 161lbs (kg); |
| Occupation | Engineer, Western Australian Government Railways |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Devon road, West Guildford, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Wife Mrs Minnie Bowra |
| Military Information | |
| Date of Enlistment | 21 Jun 1915 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit/Formation | Engineers - 3rd Field Company |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A62 Wandilla |
| Date of Return | 25 Jun 1915 |
| Fate | Killed in Action 29 Oct 1915 |
| Monument | unknown |
| Medals |
1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Contents
Pre War
Entered service with Western Australian Government Railways (Way and Works Branch) aged 15 years and 5 months on 9 Mar 1903 as a probationary (?) Cadet. Salary was 2/6d per day. On 1 Dec 1903 he was made permanent and his pay was then £40 per annum. In Jul 1904 it increased to £50 p.a.; Jul 1905 to £70 p.a.; Jul 1906 to £90. On 1 Jul 1909 he is appointed Draftsman with salary of £160; increased to £180 on 1 Jul 1910; £200 on 1 Jan 1911; £210 on 1 Jul 1911; £220 on 1 Jul 1912; and £235 from 1 Jul 1913.
Served in the Citizen Military Forces for 4 years prior to WW1, with No1 Battery Austalian Field Artillery from May 1910 - March 1911; and as a Lieutenant in 13th Field Company Engineers, March 1911 to June 1915.
In the 1910 Electoral Roll Fred is listed as living in Kelmscott, occupation, draftsman. He married Minnie Salter in the Canning District during 1911 and in the 1914 Western Australian Directory his address was given as Devon street, West Guildford.
War Service
On appointment, Fred was allocated to the Engineers (Field Company) Reinforcements, travelling with them to Egypt, and on arrival appears to have been an innaugural member of the 4th Field Company, Engineers which formed in Heliopolis, Egypt during early August 1915. The 4th Field Company took enlisted men from the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division, and officers from the 3rd Field Company like Fred.
Following training, the Company on 4 Sep 1915 embarked on Z49 HMT Knight Templar in Alexandria harbour and sailed for Mudros whoch it reached in the late afternoon of 7 Sep 1015. The Company landed at Anzac Cove early on 13 Sep 1915, and moved its stores to a base at Wire Gulley. Lt Bowra led 3 Section to Scott's Post where they relieved 1st Field Company sappers.
During late September they restarted two mine tunnels towards a crater that it was thought the Turks were trying to reach. While several mine were exploded, impact on the enemy seemed minor and more tunnels were being constructed, but by the middleof October work was hampered by the shortage of air pumps and length of hoses.
On 29 Oct 1915 the Australian tunnellers set of a 150 pound Amortol charge at a depth of 35 feet, which appeared not to fracture the ground above. The assumption was made that the force must have been taken up by an enemy tunnel above the Australian one, and Lt Bowra was sent in to investigate. Carrying a candle he set off a second charge accidentally, but was unharmed. He then went down the shaft and was asphyxiated Gas poisoning in mine). Lt Thom and three others lost their lives trying to recover him, and 20 others were temporarily disabled.
Minnie was granted a War Pension of £91 per annum from 30 Dec 1915, and sons Douglas Samuel and Geoffrey Frederick £13 each per annum. The boy's pensions were later increased to £26 per annum.
Notes
Son of Frederick James and Maria Jane Bowra.