Brigadier James Frederic Bowtell-Harris OBE, MC, MiD
7th Battalion, AIF
3rd Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment, Indian Army,
Indian General Service Corps Depot, Indian Army.
by Robert Simpson
James was born at Prahran, St. Kilda on 9th May 1895 and was registered twice, as the index notes, Jas Fredk Harris and Jas Fredk Bowtell, a son to Laura Susannah Bowtell and an unknown father. An older brother, William Campion has a Thomas Harris listed as his father, but he had possibly passed away in 1889, and his mother was listed as Flora Bowtell. They had married in 1879. He also had 3 sisters. So, even his birth is a bit confusing. His Mother worked as a nurse or midwife. He certainly used Thomas Harris as his father later on. Not much is known of his early life. He attended Essendon Primary School as he is mentioned on their Honor Board. The family moved to Essendon so his Mother could be close to her Brother, who had moved there. The first document that mentions him, tells of his occupation as a Clerk in St. Kilda. He had also served for two years in the senior cadets and he was serving in the 58th Infantry Regiment in 1913. He held the rank of Lieutenant while he was in the Militia.
He enlisted on 15th August 1914 with the 7th Battalion at Moonee Ponds in Victoria, and was assigned to D Company as Private 467, and he was now using the surname Bowtell-Harris and had dropped the k from Frederick. It would seem a few officers in the Militia gave up their rank to join the A.I.F. The 7th Battalion was one of the first infantry units raised for the AIF and formed part of 2nd Brigade. It was raised by Lieutenant-Colonel H. E. “Pompey” Elliott. It would seem that men from the 58th Infantry A.M.F. regiment joined up to this Battalion. James’ address was given as 710 Mt. Alexander Rd. Moonee Ponds, Victoria and his Mother as Flora Susanah Harris. His pay was 5 shillings a day. He was described as 19 years and 5 months, 5 foot eleven inches tall, chest 32 to 34.5 inches, fresh complexion, blue eyes, and dark brown hair. He had 3 vaccination marks on his left arm. His older brother William also joined on 31st July 1915 as Private 3762 in the 14th Infantry Battalion.
The 7th Battalion embarked on 19Th October 1914 on HMAT Honorata A20. They embarked per Galeka from Alexandria with the M.E.F. on 5th April 1915. The battalion was involved with the second wave of attack at Gallipoli on the 25th. Ten days after landing the 2nd Brigade was transferred to Cape Helles to help in the attack on Krithia. The Brigade lost a third of its strength for hardly any ground captured. They returned to ANZAC. James was promoted to Lance Corporal on 15th May 1915, then to Corporal on 18th May 1915 and to Sergeant on 19th June 1915. He was admitted to 1st Australian Stationary Hospital at Lemnos on 17th July 1915 with a slight debility from Gallipoli, and was transferred to Alexandria on the H.S. Soudan on the 19th, arriving at the No. 17 General Hospital on the 22nd. He was discharged from there for duty on the 28th and rejoined the Battalion on the 2nd August. The 2nd Brigade fought at the battle of Lone Pine. He was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant on 28 Sep 1915 and this was noted in the Sydney Morning Herald on Friday 24th December. They were evacuated in December and he took a leading part in the evacuation of the battalion from Gallipoli. He was one of the last to leave the trenches in his area and helped set up the automatic rifle firing devices to help hide the evacuation (invented by Bill Scurry).
The Battalion left Lemnos to Alexandria on 7th January 1916 and from there to Marseilles on 21st March to join the B.E.F. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 12th March 1916. He received a Mention in Despatches on 31st March 1916 for participation in a very successful raid on the enemy trenches on 30th September 1916. He was promoted to Captain on 1st August 1916 and was marched in to 6th Training Battalion at Rollestone on 9th August 1916. On 25th October 1916, he was recommended the Military Cross and it was awarded 20th January 1917. The award was for Pozieres operations on 15th to 24th August 1916 for conspicuous gallantry in action. This was the Battalion’s first major action in France. He led a raiding party under very heavy fire displaying great courage and determination. His leadership was largely responsible for the success of his party. It was also written “Captain Harris commanded a successful Raiding Party, which he had personally trained, on the German Trenches near Hollmbeke on the night of 30th September/1st October. He took his post on the enemy parapet which was under shell fire and controlled his party with coolness and determination. This officer’s party killed thirteen Germans and bombed several dugouts. His leadership was to a great extent responsible for the success of his party.”
In his will, he states leaving all to his Mother, Flora Susanah Harris, known as Flora Susanah Bowtell-Harris, dated 19th July 1917.
On 4th March 1917, he was admitted to the 2/1 Casualty Clearing Station, then to 2nd Red Cross Hospital at Rouen for an oesophagotomy, it looks like he got his tooth plate stuck in his oesophagus. He was sent back to England to recover. He rejoined his unit on 1st November 1917. The battalion spent much of the winter in the Ypres mud. In March and April 1918, they helped to stop the German spring offensive. He had served the battalion successively as platoon commander, bombing officer and company commander. It is stated that “the name of Captain Bowtell-Harris is and always be associated in the Battalion with deeds of daring carried out with more than ordinary coolness and skill.”
Group portrait of officers of the 7th Battalion.
Front row, 2nd from right Captain James Frederick Bowtell-Harris MC.
Taken on 20th February 1918 in Belgium.
He is listed on the Essendon Primary School Roll of Honor.
Also, listed on St Thomas Church Roll of Honour.
He was granted leave on 29th May 1918 pending commission in the Indian Army.
On 2nd July 1918, his appointment with the A.I.F. was terminated having been appointed to a commission in the Indian Army. He also had a rank reduction to Lieutenant. He served in the Indian Army in the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment, from 29th July 1918 and returned to Australia for visits. He was promoted to Captain on 28th June 1920. On the way back to India one time he met his future wife, Joan Pringle Finlay, on the ship they were both on.
They were married in Karachi, India on 8th November 1927 with a full military wedding. The wedding notice in the Sydney Morning Herald has James as the “son of the late Thomas Bowtell-Harris and of Mrs. Bowtell-Harris, Mornington, Victoria, to Joan Pringle, second daughter of Mr. & Mrs. T. J. Finlay, Bundella, New South Wales”. In 1929, he writes to the Governor-General of India against his Commanding Officer, Colonel Whitworth. The Commander’s wife had taken his wife along to help her with Infant Welfare work and as his wife was young and had no experience, he felt it was something she should not do or be exposed to. She was already involved with other charity works and had enough to do. On stating this to his Commanding Officer, he said she must do it and when told he would not permit it, Whitworth threatened to send him to the Training Battalion at Multan. He then changed his mind and sent him to Dalbandin as Major Waller was also going there. James was complaining that he had been unfairly treated and it would affect his studies for the Staff College. It is not known what the outcome of the letter was.
In 1932, he returned on the Narkunda to spend a portion of his furlough from the Indian Army in Victoria. He retired from the Indian Army on 1st April 1933 and moved back to Victoria. He managed a timber yard. Joan seemed to be interested in golf and was noted in various games from 1933. She was also involved in various committees. In 1934, he must have helped his brother out setting up a company as noted in the Argus under New Registrations is “William Campion Pty. Ltd. Manufacturers, wholesale and or retail traders, and dealers in general merchandise, &c. Capital 5000 pounds in 1 pound shares. Names subscribed in memorandum – James Frederic Bowtell-Harris, 1 share * Allan Bruce Ferguson, 1 share * Adrian James Court, 1 share.” The 1936 and 7 Electoral Rolls have them living at “Bentwood” in Barkly St, Frankston and he was listed as a Director of a Company. He was elected president of the United Australia organization in 1937.
In WW2, he was recalled to the Indian Army in 1939. He was presented with a wrist watch by his friends before he left. His wife must have remained in Australia for a while as she visited her Mother and Sisters at her Mother’s home in New South Wales for the New Year. By 1942 she was in India as she sent a telegram to her younger sister’s wedding. During World War 2 he raised and commanded the Indian General Service Corps Depot. Joan formed and ran an Officer’s Mess Catering School for domestic men-servants. In a letter to a friend dated 1st October, he asks if his friend could help him get the paperwork to re-apply for his medals, which he seems to have lost. He wanted the “authority for his M.C. and bar” as well. He was on the S.S. Otranto in Adelaide, waiting to sail. The officer writes back stating the promulgation of the Military Cross, but states that there is no mention of the bar, so he presumes it was awarded while he was in the Indian Army and for him to enquire with the Army Department at Calcutta. At the end of the war he was presented with a booklet containing picture of the “V” day celebrations at the I.G.S.C. and it notes his rank as Brigadier. In 1946, he received an O.B.E. as Major (temporary lieutenant-Colonel) James Frederic Bowtell-Harris, Indian Army. His wife was also awarded an O.B.E. as Junior Commander (temporary) Jean Pringle Bowtell-Harris (W.A.C.135) Women’s Auxiliary Corps (India). In March 1947, he was on leave and travelled to Sydney on the steamer Marella. With the unrest in India after the war, he stated that no one was in any personal danger, but that the Indians wanted the British Government to leave so they could govern their own country. He returned to duty in India on the Canara and it was mentioned he was officer commanding the Ourangadab station, near Hyderabad. After the war, they had decided to retire in India and run a model farm in Hyderabad state. They got machinery from Australia in 1947, but when they were there India was granted independence. On their return, due to the unrest there, they lost their land and after working for 13 months at a newsprint mill he resigned due to others manipulating the funds and left for Australia. They left India “poorer but wiser”.
This is an Inter-Battalion Sports Cup presented to the Officer’s Mess Indian General Service Corps by The Commandant Colonel J. F. Bowtell-Harris.
His Mother passed away in 1950 on July 20th at Mornington at age 90, and her Death notice has her as Bowtell-Harris.
The Argus in 1950 had an article about recruiting and said that “a deputation from the Mornington Peninsula to Southern Command will urge the formation of a Peninsular unit” as “recruiting was practically non-existant on the Peninsula. On of the deputation members was Brigadier Bowtell-Harris. It would seem he was involved with community affairs at this time.
They bought a property at Red Hill South, Victoria, sold 10 acres with 600 apple trees on it, and renovated the house and developed the property. They called it Himayat Bagh. He was a Farmer at Red Hill, Dromana, Victoria in the 1954 Electoral Roll. He retired and they moved to 6 Balcome St. Mornington. Joan passed away in 1962 and her remains were scattered at Springvale Botanical Cemetery after her cremation. James passed away on 23rd August 1964 and was cremated at the same cemetery; his ashes were put in Boronia wall niche single, Wall SZ, Niche 225. A funeral service was held at Mornington on that Wednesday. His death index records him as James Frederic Bowtell-Harris with Father, Thomas and Mother Flora Bowtell.
His religion was Church of England.
It appears they adopted three boys, Alan Richard, Christopher Ralph and Bruce Raymond. They were their English God-sons, the sons of a 2nd Punjabi whose wife had died. They were 13, 11 and 8 when they adopted them.
The museum has a letter he wrote about the character of a soldier, the Soldier’s Prayer and how it tied in with his character and he gave some examples. Having faith was obviously important to him. Another letter also states how his Grandmother had an influence on him as she had told him stories about his ancestry. He seemed to have an impact on people as another letter shows.
He qualified for the 1914-15 star, British War and Victory Medals from WW1, the star was administered by the Department of Defence Australia, with the other two by the Indian Army Department. He was awarded the Military Cross and Mention in Despatch.
His medal group consists of Order of the British Empire (GVIR), Military Cross (GVR), 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-18, Victory Medal 1914-19 with MID, Defence Medal, British War Medal 1939-45, India Service Medal. The star has 2/Lieut H. R. Briggs 51/Punjabis impressed on it, while the other two are correctly impressed to Capt. J.F. Bowtell-Harris. It was thought that James and Harold were close friends and swapped Stars, but that is to be confirmed. Briggs group has the 1914-15 Star named to himself, so maybe he had two and maybe James lost his, so it would appear he was given one to replace the lost one. They must have met in India. He seems to have been a larger-than-life person and left an impression with a lot of people, but he was also a bit of an enigma.
ANZAC Biographies
On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women
whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection belonging to the
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum,
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.