Description
British War Medal, Mercantile Marine War Medal, Joseph Edwin Bowra, Australia 2632, a rare Australian pair. From Sydney NSW.
Both officially impressed: “J. E. Bowra. Australia. 2632.”
With a letter from a previous owner in Australia back in 1996, enquiring to the Australia Maritime Safety Authority who kindly confirmed the issue of the medals “A search of the records maintained by the Authority confirms that Mr J E Bowra was issued with the British War Medal and the Mercantile Marine Medal on 11th December 1922.”
Mr Joseph Edwin or Edward Bowra aka “Joe” was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, during 1891.
He was the son of James Bowra and Catherine Rosetta Carttling, his father was like him, a Sailor in the Merchant Navy, being born in Shorne, Kent during 1846, he is recorded as arriving in Australia as early as aged 16 as a a young Ship’s Steward on the ship “City of Bristol” during 1863, he seems to have taken a likening to the growing country, as he is soon after noted as marrying at Sydney during 1871, later re marrying after becoming widowed to Joseph’s eventual mother Cathrine during 1883 at Pyrmont, NSW, he worked as a Mariner during his career there being much shipping between England and Australia at the time for employment.
Joseph was born during 1891 in Sydney, and lived all around New South Wales, Granville in 1903, Dubbo in 1828, Gilgandra from 1930-1938, then at Eumungerie in 1939, followed by Darlinghurst West, East Sydney during 1943, moving back to Gilganda around the late 1940s to 50s, before settling in Dubbo from the 1960s until his death at Dubbo NSW on 25th May 1973.
WARTIME SERVICE AND OTHER SHIPS POSTINGS
During 1905 likely one of his first ever ship’s journeys, he was recorded as a 15 year old “Boy” Seaman going from Vancouver to Sydney NSW on the Aorangi on 30th January 1905.
During World War 1, he was working in the Merchant Navy and is mentioned on various ships logs at the time:
27th July 1914, SS Kakapo, from Devonport to Sydney NSW, at the time a 23 year old Trimmer.
10th September 1915, SS Wakatipu, Launceston to Sydney, as a Fireman.
4th November 1915, SS Wakatipu, Launceston to Sydney, as a Fireman.
18th November 1915, SS Wakatipu, as a Fireman.
2nd December 1915, SS Wakatipu, from Launceston to Sydney, as a Fireman.
30th December 1915, Launceston to Sydney, as a Fireman.
During WW1, he seems to have mostly served onboard SS Wakatipu, an aging Iron Steamer which continued commercial cargo and passenger runs across the Tasman Sea and Australia coastal ports supporting the wartime supply chains.
Joseph never seems to have forgotten about the war in which he served, there is a photograph uploaded by the family online of him proudly wearing his medals along with his RSL badge, and his name is mentioned in local newspapers regarding his work with the R.S.L. (Returned and Services League of Australia) referred to as “Joe Bowra”.
They note that in 1954: “The RSL Women’s Auxiliary made a presentation of a chair to Mr Joe Bowra as a mark of appreciation for all he has done for them.”
The 1955 “Eumengerie Digger’s Ball” also credits him: “The floor was in excellent order and the general condition was a credit to the honorary supervisor, Mr Joe Bowra.”
