Flight Lieutenant 111776 Henry Bowman DFC of 129 (Mysore) Squadron was the son of the late Henry Frederick Bowman (of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps - killed in France 23rd April 1917) and Thyrza Elizabeth Bowman of Ilford in Essex and husband of Myra Bowman (nee Jackson.
He was born in London on the 21st of August 1915, and was educated at the Salesian School at Burwash. In civilian life had worked for Ilford Borough Council in the engineer's department He was a member of the Herts and Essex flying club and gained his flying certificate in 1937, before joining the RAFVR in September 1939.
His pilot training with the Royal Air Force was not completed in time to see action in the Battle of Britain and so he joined 129 Squadron in June 1941 and quickly got the hang of shooting down enemy aircraft. He was commissioned in November 1941.
On the 28th of July 1942 at the age of 26, Henry Bowman was flying Spitfire Vb BL596 on a patrol off of Le Havre in the late afternoon. The squadron intercepted a group of Fw190s of JG2 off of the coast at very low level. He was seen to shoot one of the enemy aircraft down but was then himself shot down and killed.
His body was washed ashore near Ford in West Sussex, on the 25th of August and he was buried on the 29th.
At the time of his death, he had shot down five enemy aircraft and had damaged two others. On the 8th of August 1941, he shot down an Me110 sixty five miles off of Flamborough Head. On the 4th of September, he damaged an Me109 ten miles west of Cap Griz Nez, France. On the 20th of the same month, an Me109 was destroyed off of St Valery. An Me109 was damaged off the Belgian coast on the 12th February 1942 and then, on the 12th of April, he destroyed an Fw190 over St Omer. On the 20th of June, thirty five miles south of Beachy Head, he shot down another Fw190 and on the 28th he added another, this time south of Selsey Bill.
He was gazetted for the DFC on the 29th May 1942. His citation reading - 'This officer completed a large number of operational sorties many of which have been over enemy territory. He is an exceptional pilot and a cool and skilful leader. He has destroyed 3 enemy aircraft and damaged a fourth.'
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