Orders, Decorations and Medals

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Driefontein, Diamond Hill, Belfast (189331 A-B. F. W. Bowden, H.M.S. Doris) impressed naming, very fine, unique clasp combination to ship £420-480

Francis William Bowden was born in St. Keverne, Cornwall, on 22 August 1878. A Farm Labourer by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy on 10 July 1896 as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Curacoa. On the same vessel he was advanced to Boy 1st Class in October 1896 and Ordinary Seaman in January 1897. He served on the Doris, November 1897-May 1901, being promoted to Able Seaman in May 1899. During this period he served in the Boer War and saw extensive action on land. Awarded the Q.S.A., he was one of 16 men from the Doris to be awarded the medal with five clasps and was the only man of the Doris to receive the medal with the above clasp combination. Further service followed on a number of vessels. He was ‘discharged dead’ on 19 April 1908 at Plymouth Hospital, having suffered from syphilitic meningitis. With copied service paper and other research.