F/Lt HG Bowen

[PeteS]

I see that Air Commodore HG Bowen MBE flew in the Great War as a Flight Lieut, after joining the RFC in mid 1916 from the DCLI.  Malcolm Barrass excellent site shows him as a Pilot with 7 Sqn, then briefly with No, 19 Sqn, returning to 7 Sqn before appointment as a flight commander with 7 Sqn in April 1917 and later also flight commander 100 Sqn Oct 1917 (Western Front) before a transfer to Castlebar Flight in Ireland in May 1918.

 

When I look at his medals card he is shown with zero medal entitlement and that confuses me.  Presumably his medals would have been issued by the RAF but shouldn't the Army MIC make reference to entitlement to at least BWM and BVM ?   Are records for RAF medals Great War available ?

thanks Pete

 

[josquin]

Pete,

The MIC did not list gallantry awards for Capt. Horace George Bowen (5th Bn Duke of Cornwal's Light Infantry 2nd Lt. & RFC/RAF T/Capt.)

because  no medals were awarded.  The London Gazette is the standard reference  to consult to document the conferring of gallantry

awards.  The Gazette listing for Bowen's Short Service Commission as a Flight Lieutenant (L.G. 24 October 1919) lists no awards, and

Gazette notices for 30 December 1927, 4 January 1935, and 1 November 1938 list only the M.B.E. that was awarded on 1 January 1923.

Josquin

[PeteS]

Hi Josquin, I was trying to establish his campaign medals for WW1 not his MBE, his MIC does not show a BWM or a BVM and that what what surprised me, unless of course there is a second MIC which I havent found yet.   Did you find anything to suggest he received a trio or a pair ? thanks Pete

[josquin]

Pete,

Since Captain Bowen embarked to France on 7 July 1916, to serve with 7 Squadron, he should have been eligible for the BWM and the BVM pair.

His status as a postwar serving officer with the RAF may have caused his medal card detailing awards to be retained at the MoD, or it may

have been lost (as many MICs were when they were transported among various storage venues)..

Josquin

[hmsk212]

The medal index card is an Army form the RAF did not issue them,  his just states " no medals to be awarded by the W. O. " it also mentions that the Air Ministry forwards a form.

Steve

[josquin]

H.G. Bowen was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th Battalion of The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regiment on 22 April 1915.

As the BWM and BVM were awarded only for service abroad, and his MIC states "no medals to be awarded by the W.O.," this suggests

that the medals were not awarded because he did not serve abroad during his service with the DCLI. There  were two 5th Battalions of the

DCLI. The 1/5th Battalion of the DCLI did not disembark at Le Havre until 22 May 1916, possibly after Bowen was attached to the R.F.C.,

and the 2/5th Battalion of the DCLI was stationed on home defence duty throughout the war.  His embarkation to France, on 7 July 1916,

occurred as an officer with the R.F.C.rather than as an officer serving with an infantry regiment.

 

Josquin

 

[hmsk212]

Here is his casualty form :-

 

https://www.casualtyforms.org/form/894

 

His Officer Papers can be found at the National Archives in Kew in file number WO339/40439

 

Steve

Edited 8 November , 2019 by hmsk212

[hmsk212]

1 hour ago, josquin said:

H.G. Bowen was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th Battalion of The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regiment on 22 April 1915.

As the BWM and BVM were awarded only for service abroad, and his MIC states "no medals to be awarded by the W.O.," this suggests

that the medals were not awarded because he did not serve abroad during his service with the DCLI. There  were two 5th Battalions of the

DCLI. The 1/5th Battalion of the DCLI did not disembark at Le Havre until 22 May 1916, possibly after Bowen was attached to the R.F.C.,

and the 2/5th Battalion of the DCLI was stationed on home defence duty throughout the war.  His embarkation to France, on 7 July 1916,

occurred as an officer with the R.F.C.rather than as an officer serving with an infantry regiment.

 

Josquin

 

He may well have served overseas with the DCLI but only in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. His medals would have been issued in the rank of Captain which happened whilst he was serving with the RFC /RAF.

Steve

[PeteS]

Thanks Steve, is there an available Medal Roll for the RFC/RAF

thank you

[hmsk212]

Yes :-

Taken from the National Archives Rolls approx. 2014

 

Steve

 

[PeteS]

Thank you for your help, I suppose that this is from your own research and is not available on line through one of the Ancestry or FMP or Fold3 sites ?

[hmsk212]

Hi

 

Yes that was from my own research but it is also now available on Ancestry.

 

Steve

[PeteS]

thank you Steve, I have ANCESTRY and I shall see if I can find it there to answer a couple more queries.