BOWTELL, Albert Edward
| Service Number: | NX26746 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 June 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Bowral, New South Wales, Australia, 5 January 1901 |
| Home Town: | Waitara, Ku-ring-gai, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Motor Driver |
| Died: | Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia, 6 September 1961, aged 60 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Wentworth Falls General Cemetery, New South Wales |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 20 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, NX26746 | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, NX26746 |
Service History
For my great grandfather,
Lance Corporal Albert 'Bert' Edward Bowtell, NX26746.
Served in the 27th brigade company, 8th division of the 2/30 infantry battalion (the last brigade to be called for duty in WWII).
Enlisted 20th June 1940, at the age of 39, he had six children at the time.
Arrived in Malaya 7th August 1941.
Recorded as missing on 16th February 1942, after at battle at Ayer Hitam, where the 2/30 could not keep the Japanese at bay. Surrendering, he was captured and spent the next three and a half years as a POW in Maibara #10, Osaka Japan, It was not known he was a POW until 24th September 1943.
After the surrender, he was rescued/recovered on 18th September 1945. He arrived home back in Australia, via New Zealand on the Dutch ship Tjitjalengka on 12th oct 1945.
He watched as over half of his battalion died in battle or in the POW camp, of the 1300 men only 739 made it home.
He was discharged at his own request on 26th January 1946.
"Lest We Forget"
Albert 'Bert' Edward Bowtell
15/1/01 - 6/9/61
Submitted 25 April 2024 by Erin Bowtell
Click images to start slideshow.