Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1918 ‘Somme’ M.M. pair awarded to Private A. N. Bowley, 2nd Battalion Australian Machine Gun Corps, Australian Imperial Force, who was twice wounded during the course of the war

Military Medal, G.V.R. (1324 Pte. A. N. Bowley. 2/Aust: M.G.C.); 1914-15 Star (1324 Pte. A. N. Bowley. 24/Bn A.I.F.) very fine (2) £600-800

M.M. London Gazette 24 January 1919. The original recommendation states:

‘In the attack on the 9th August 1918, at Franerville near Amiens, he [Bowley] showed great resource and presence of mind. Forward of the objective he saw one of our teams knocked out by point blank shell fire. Without hesitation he ran forward into no-man’s land, brought the gun back to his team and put it into action. He then went forward again, bandaged the wounded and carried them back under heavy fire. Though deafened and stunned, Pte. Bowley carried on for hours assisting the wounded from no-man’s land back to safety. His courage and devotion to duty were most conspicuous.’

A. N. Bowley was born in Creswick, Victoria, Australia, in 1895. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at the town of his birth on 12 April 1915, and was posted to the 24th Australian Infantry Battalion. He served with the battalion in Gallipoli, before embarking for Egypt in January 1916. Bowley served in the French theatre of war from March 1916, and was twice wounded in action, 30 June 1916 and 5 August 1916 respectively.

Bowley was sent to the UK to recuperate after his last wound, returning to France in May 1917. He served with the 2nd Battalion Australian Machine Gun Corps, as part of the 2nd Australian Division on the Somme, and was awarded his M.M. for gallantry in the attack at Franerville near Amiens, 9 August 1918. He returned to Australia in H.M.A.T. Tras-Os-Montes, and was discharged 22 July 1919. Bowley died 25 August 1921.