• Arnold David Bowes
  • Arnold David Bowes

BOWES, Arnold David

War
2nd Word War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
London - Ontario
Regimental Number
609
Rank
Trooper
Date of Death
Age at Death
22 years 3 months
Biographical Summary

NAME                  BOWES           Arnold David
RANK                  Trooper            609                                                                                                                                                      1st Canadian Army - II Canadian Corps - 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade                                                              REGIMENT 1st Hussars
                            6th Armoured Regiment
                            “today not tomorrow”
                            Royal Canadian Armoured Corp                                                                                              Born                     February 22, 1922 - Blyth - Hullett Township - County of Huron                                    Residence           Blyth                                                                                                                                        Dead                   June 11, 1944          22 years   3 months
Cemetery            Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery - Reviers - Calvados - France
                            XV D 15
Mother                Mrs. Amanda Wilson - Blyth                                                                                                Brothers              Irvin lived with his mother in Blyth                                                                                          Sisters                Mrs. Reta Blake - Blyth

Arnold was born on February 22, 1922 in Blyth. While growing up he enjoyed riding, small game hunting,
baseball, soccer and volleyball. He left school at the age of 14 and finishing Grade VIII. Following his schooling he worked for Mr. Russell McDonald on his farm from 1936-41. He had wanted to be a motor mechanic. He enjoyed baseball, soccer and volleyball and his hobbies were hunting small game. He and his family would have attended Blyth United Church.

Canada

He enlisted in the Canadian Army in London on May 16, 1941 with the rank of Trooper. At that time he was 5' 9" tall and weighed 130 pounds. He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and blonde hair. He was assigned to No. 1 District Depot and two weeks later was Taken on Service with the 6th Armoures Regiment - 1st Hussars which was based at Camp Borden. He was assigned to "B" Squadron.

Overseas

Trooper Bowes was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada on November 9  and the same day embarked from Canada for overseas. While at sea the next day he was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army overseas and he arrived in the United Kingdom on November 23. He was admitted as a patient at No. 14 General Hospital from December 14.                                                                                                                     He was discharged from the hospital on January 15, 1942 and went to No. 1 Convalescent Depot until January 30.  During all of 1942 he trained.                                                                                                                              As 1943 arrived Trooper Bowes - on January 25 he qualified as a Driver of wheeled vehicles 1st Class III. On March 9 he qualified  as a gunner II. Then as the year was closing he qualified as a Gunner Operator "C" on December 3. 

In the Field

For the first half of 1944 the training continued and then on June 3 the 1st Hussars embarked from the United Kingdom and on June 6 came ashore onto the sand of Juneau Beach in France.                                                The Sherman tank was very mobile, but it lacked the firepower with a 75mm gun when up against the German tanks. However, when it was equipped with the 17 pounder it was a match against enemy tanks. Some Shermans were even equipped with the 105mm howitzer.
Trooper Bowes and the 1st Hussars were part of the D-Day invasion, and he was the gunner of the tank with
the nickname of “Galloping Gertie”. The 1st Hussars were able to achieve their objectives on D-Day.
On June 10th they moved to Bray 20 new tanks with inexperienced crews and brought the strength of the regiment to 76 tanks. Experienced crews then replaced the inexperienced crews.                                                    On June 11th they were positioned at Camille and at 8 am they were informed they would advance at 1 pm with "B" Squadron and 1 Company of Infantry would seize the initial objectives, while "C" Squadron on the high ground to the right was support and provide the covering fire. Both would advance to Le Mesnil Patry, establish
it as a base, and then move on to higher ground at Cheux. However, Command moved this advance forward
24 hours and the tank crews had little time to prepare and check radios in this short time. Poor planning
went into this effort with not much attention being placed on artillery support. While they were doing their
radio checks, the Germans were listening and surprise was now lost as the Germans knew something was
up. "B" Squadron found they would have to pass through Morrey-en-Bessin in line ahead formation because the Canadians had mined the sides of the road from Bretteville to Norey and they could not lift the mines in time, It was "B" Squadron, then "C" Squadron followed by "A" Squadron. "B" Squadron advanced and between Norey and Mesnil came under heavy enemy machine gun and mortar fire. The infantry went to ground and the tanks advanced to clear the enemy infantry and machine guns and this allowed the infantry to achieve their objective. "C" Squadron passed through on the right of "B" Squadron and by now both "C & B" Squadrons were heavily engaged and expending their ammunition. At this time "A" was advancing just west of Morrey. "B" had reached their initial objective and the infantry was beyond Mesnil and then "B & C" Squadrons came under extreme enemy anti tank fire and were ordered not to return fire as they were told it was friendly fire. They were ordered to fly their recognition flags but the rate of fire increased. As they began to be outflanked "B" Squadron began to return fire and "A" Squadron was being heavily shelled and mortared. The Hussars were now in danger of being out flanked and all units were ordered back to the start line. "A" Squadron was then positioned on the high ground east of Bretteville and covered the withdrawl of the infantry, "B" Squadron continued to engage the enemy as they had not received to order to with draw.                                                                                                      Heavy losses had been taken by the 1st Hussars but the losses onto the German infantry was extreme and some Hussar tanks formed a roadblock to assist the Canadian infantry. Enemy tanks destroyed numbered 14 along with very high numbers of enemy infantry. The losses for the 1st Hussars was "B" Squadron was annihilated with only 2 tanks returning with 17 being lost.
June 11, 1944 was the bloodiest and most costly day in the history of the 1st Hussars. On this day 59 men
were killed and 37 tanks were destroyed.

In December of 1944 Trooper Bowe's mother received the Memorial Cross and later in October of 1949 the family received the 1939-45 Star, the France-Germany Star, the War Medal, the Defence Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp that had been awarded to Trooper Bowes.

The family received a letter dated December 1945 advising the family that it was possible that Trooper Bowes had been murdered by enemy forces but there is noting additional in his file to indicate that this was the case. I have researched the names of the men that were murdered by Kurt Meyer in the garden of the Abbey de Ardenne on June 7/8 and the name of Trooper Bowes does not appear. Trooper Bowes was originally reported as missing and it is possible he was taken prisoner and murdered. 

Arnold is honoured and remembered in the Blyth Memorial Hall, on the Memorial Plaque of Blyth United Church, in the Books of Remembrance in the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa and on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. He is also honoured and remembered in the 1st Hussars Museum in London - Ontario.