Born to James & Jemima Bowkett on 16 May 1918 in Mackay, Queensland, Alex enlisted in the A.I.F. on 24 June 1940 at Rockhampton, Queensland.
He was one of several members of 2/26 Battalion chosen as part of "A" Force, which left Singapore in 1942. The majority of "A" Force were never to return to Singapore.
He was assigned to a work party under Lt. Col. George Ramsay of 2/30, which was to be known as Ramsay Force, and slaved on the Mergui - Burma end of the Railway.
On completion of the railway, many members of "A" Force were kept in various POW Camps throughout Thailand, with a majority being sent to Bangkok from where they were selected to go to Japan to work in the mines.
Edwin was one of those who returned to Singapore on 15 August 1944, was selected for work in the Japanese Mines and left Singapore on 9 September 1944.
The unmarked Japanese P.O.W. Ship Rakuyo Maru was sunk by a U.S. Submarine on its way to Japan. Very few P.O.W. were rescued.
He is commemorated in Australia at Walkerston, Queensland, The Australian War Memorial at Canberra; and the Ex-P.O.W. Memorial Wall at Ballarat, Victoria.
Edwin had been part of a cricket team representing the 2/26 Battalion against the 2/15 Battalion at Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia April 1941.
"When you go home
Tell them of us, and say,
For your tomorrow,
We gave our today."
<<< Photo of A.I.F. Badge used by kind permission of Iain MacFarlaine. >>>
He was one of several members of 2/26 Battalion chosen as part of "A" Force, which left Singapore in 1942. The majority of "A" Force were never to return to Singapore.
He was assigned to a work party under Lt. Col. George Ramsay of 2/30, which was to be known as Ramsay Force, and slaved on the Mergui - Burma end of the Railway.
On completion of the railway, many members of "A" Force were kept in various POW Camps throughout Thailand, with a majority being sent to Bangkok from where they were selected to go to Japan to work in the mines.
Edwin was one of those who returned to Singapore on 15 August 1944, was selected for work in the Japanese Mines and left Singapore on 9 September 1944.
The unmarked Japanese P.O.W. Ship Rakuyo Maru was sunk by a U.S. Submarine on its way to Japan. Very few P.O.W. were rescued.
He is commemorated in Australia at Walkerston, Queensland, The Australian War Memorial at Canberra; and the Ex-P.O.W. Memorial Wall at Ballarat, Victoria.
Edwin had been part of a cricket team representing the 2/26 Battalion against the 2/15 Battalion at Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia April 1941.
"When you go home
Tell them of us, and say,
For your tomorrow,
We gave our today."
<<< Photo of A.I.F. Badge used by kind permission of Iain MacFarlaine. >>>
Born to James & Jemima Bowkett on 16 May 1918 in Mackay, Queensland, Alex enlisted in the A.I.F. on 24 June 1940 at Rockhampton, Queensland.
He was one of several members of 2/26 Battalion chosen as part of "A" Force, which left Singapore in 1942. The majority of "A" Force were never to return to Singapore.
He was assigned to a work party under Lt. Col. George Ramsay of 2/30, which was to be known as Ramsay Force, and slaved on the Mergui - Burma end of the Railway.
On completion of the railway, many members of "A" Force were kept in various POW Camps throughout Thailand, with a majority being sent to Bangkok from where they were selected to go to Japan to work in the mines.
Edwin was one of those who returned to Singapore on 15 August 1944, was selected for work in the Japanese Mines and left Singapore on 9 September 1944.
The unmarked Japanese P.O.W. Ship Rakuyo Maru was sunk by a U.S. Submarine on its way to Japan. Very few P.O.W. were rescued.
He is commemorated in Australia at Walkerston, Queensland, The Australian War Memorial at Canberra; and the Ex-P.O.W. Memorial Wall at Ballarat, Victoria.
Edwin had been part of a cricket team representing the 2/26 Battalion against the 2/15 Battalion at Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia April 1941.
"When you go home
Tell them of us, and say,
For your tomorrow,
We gave our today."
<<< Photo of A.I.F. Badge used by kind permission of Iain MacFarlaine. >>>
He was one of several members of 2/26 Battalion chosen as part of "A" Force, which left Singapore in 1942. The majority of "A" Force were never to return to Singapore.
He was assigned to a work party under Lt. Col. George Ramsay of 2/30, which was to be known as Ramsay Force, and slaved on the Mergui - Burma end of the Railway.
On completion of the railway, many members of "A" Force were kept in various POW Camps throughout Thailand, with a majority being sent to Bangkok from where they were selected to go to Japan to work in the mines.
Edwin was one of those who returned to Singapore on 15 August 1944, was selected for work in the Japanese Mines and left Singapore on 9 September 1944.
The unmarked Japanese P.O.W. Ship Rakuyo Maru was sunk by a U.S. Submarine on its way to Japan. Very few P.O.W. were rescued.
He is commemorated in Australia at Walkerston, Queensland, The Australian War Memorial at Canberra; and the Ex-P.O.W. Memorial Wall at Ballarat, Victoria.
Edwin had been part of a cricket team representing the 2/26 Battalion against the 2/15 Battalion at Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia April 1941.
"When you go home
Tell them of us, and say,
For your tomorrow,
We gave our today."
<<< Photo of A.I.F. Badge used by kind permission of Iain MacFarlaine. >>>
Inscription
Australian Infantry
Gravesite Details
QX12062
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