W/C Alan M Bowman DFC and Bar

What makes you say his number is RAF?

 

By the ommission of the aforementioned prefix and/or suffix. For example, RCAF members would have "J/" or "R/" infront of their numbers, indicating officer or NCO/enlisted.

It doesn't appear thus for Australians on the CWGC but here's a random example:

Name: McLEOD, LEWIS ARTHUR JOHN
Initials: L A J
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Squadron Leader
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Age: 24
Date of Death: 22/06/1944
Service No: 413409
Awards: D F C
Additional information: Son of Roderick and Bertha McLeod, of Burwood, New South Wales, Australia.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 18. D. 5.
Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY

and his citation for the DFC in the LG:

Acting Squadron Leader Lewis Arthur John McLEOD (Aus.413409), Royal Australian Air Force.. No. 50 Squadron.

Gazette Issue 36439 published on the 21 March 1944. Page 1 of 4

 

24 and an S/L. Makes you wonder if a 24 year old could do that today. I know I couldn't have when I was 24.

 

I should add that this is very very annoying because if one took his service number - 413409 - from the CWGC and entered it into the LG, you wouldn't get any results, or they would be possibly for an RAF member. You would need to use Aus.413409 (noting that there is no space, and to remember to include the full stop - but even that doesn't always work).

 

I think when I entered Bowman in the CWGC I initially included his service number, just the number. It didn't like it so I removed it and up he came. Might have got that ar*e about so happy to be proven wrong!

 

The too often sad fact was that being made S/L wasn't just a reflection of the person's ability (though that was a large part of it) but also the rate of attrition. As the war went on the senior ranks became younger and younger as the older ones were killed.

The only real comparison for the loss/rank correlation for Bomber Command that I can imagine off the top of my head was the Waffen SS. In both instances, the officers were there on the frontline continually, and the rates killed were thus much much higher.

 

Don't sell yourself short Andy. You didn't have to!

 

Thanks Kyt,

I missed that last line of your previous post.

I found him on the CWGC although I never put a nationality last time and it didn't come up.

BOWMAN, ALAN MCDONALD
Wing Commander32138 30/11/1941 30Royal Air ForceUnited KingdomColumn 239.ALAMEIN MEMORIAL

 

Further info from Brian Cull over on rafcommands:

Your man was unfortanetly killed by so-called friendly fire on
30/11/41. His Blenheim Z7589 (from Communications Flight HQ ME) was shot down by AA fire when approaching Gialo Oasis – also on board were G/Capt CJS Dearlove, P/O FCG Wilson, F/S JS McLaren, Capt FC Benn - all of whom were killed. Apparently the Blenheim approachedthe airfield from wrong direction and did not give any recognition signals. Shot down at 1400 hrs.

"Alas! Poor Al was shot down by one of our own gunners who mistook his Blenheim for a Ju88 when flying G/Capt Cuthbert Dearlove to inspect an Oasis landing ground. Al was one of many splendid and forceful leaders that the RAF could ill-afford to lose." (Wg Cdr Pelly-Fry)

Hope this helps
Cheers
Brian