Henry J. Bowes

Submitted by: Tommy Le

Henry J. Bowes served in World War 1 with the United States Navy. The dates of service are: Known April 1917- August 1918.

 

Lieutenant Junior Grade Henry J. Bowes, of Wellwood Avenue and Volan Street, Merchantville, lost his life when the Submarine Chaser 209 was sunk off Fire Island on August 27th, 1918. He was in command of one of eleven chasers as part of the "Patterson Group", an antisubmarine unit whose flagship was the USS Patterson DD-36.

When the armed merchantman Felix Taussig mistook the chasers for German submarines and opened fire, the 209 was sunk, killing 18 and leaving 4 more wounded. The fatal mistake was made 150 miles off Fire Island, after three destroyers had left the twelve chasers. Two other chasers were sunk in the battle.

Lieutenant Bowes had enlisted in the Naval Reserve before the country entered the war in April, 1917, in Pennsylvania, where he had lived for several years. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Evaline Humphreys Bowes, and his son, Henry E. Bowes, of Merchantville. They remained in Merchantville, later moving to a home at 131 Browning Road.