John Bowles (1896-1943)

Post date: Apr 16, 2018 11:50:14 AM

By 1917 John, born in Wateringbury in 1896, had joined the army in WWI. For his family background see notes on Thomas Bowles (killed at Battle of Jutland in 1916) and Francis Bowles.

John was subsequently killed in WW2 on 2nd April 1943 whilst serving as a merchant seaman on M.V. Melbourne Star, a refrigerated cargo liner. She was built by Cammell Laird and Co in 1936 as one of Blue Star Line's Imperial Star-class ships, designed to ship frozen meat from Australia and New Zealand to the United Kingdom. She served in WWII and is distinguished for her role in Operation Pedestal to relieve the siege of Malta in August 1942. She was sunk by torpedo in 1943 in the Atlantic with the loss of 115 lives including John.