Dowell, James Wilson

ASC 1901-9

“Monk,” “Jack.”

Early enlistment 1Bn. transferred to 45Bn.

“Was buried at Pozieres August 8th and was sent away from his battalion with shell shock. In

rest camp for six weeks then evacuated on account of bronchitis.”

Two periods in hospital; bronchitis 11 and 133 days!

In first group at the Bathurst, “Welcome Home.”

Returned to Aust. Apr. ’17. Discharged 7/8/17.

SILVER WEDDING. DOWELL- ARMSTRONG. — On June 16, 1885, at Warranbeen Station, by Rev. Alex Stewart, cousin of bride, Maud Sara Armstrong, daughter of James Armstrong, Leigh Banks, to James Wilson Dowell, Architect, Sydney. Present address, 'Wilga,' Bathurst.

Bathurst Times 8/6/10 P.2

“J.W. Dowell is now in charge of the State School at Narromine.”

Bathurstian, June 1911 P.676

A Bathurst telegram of Friday says:-Mr. James Wilson Dowell, district works officer at Bathurst, died this afternoon from a paralytic seizure sustained on Sunday morning. The deceased, who was 62 years of age, leaves a widow and family of four sons and five daughters. (Mr. Dowell lived in Goulburn for some years. He was district works officer here, and was very popular.)

Goulburn Evening Penny Post, 26/6/13 P.4

PURELY PERSONAL.

Widespread regret (says Saturday's Bathurst "Advocate") will be caused by the news of the death of Mr. James Wilson Dowell, District Works Officer at Bathurst, which took place at his residence yesterday afternoon. The deceased gentleman sustained a paralytic seizure on Tuesday morning and died without regaining conscious- ness. The late Mr. Dowell, who was a native of Morrietta, Ohio, U.S.A., had resided of Bathurst for many years, and particularly in his professional capacity, which involved much travelling throughout the western district, he made numerous friends, by whom he was deservedly held in high esteem..

Forbes Times 1/7/13 P.2

LATE MR. J. W. DOWELL (Father). A PERSONAL SKETCH.

The funeral of the late Mr. J. W. Dowell, for a good many years a very highly respected resident of Bathurst, took place yesterday, the body being interred in the Presbyterian section of the local, cemetery.

The late Mr. Dowell was born in 1850 in Marrietta, State of Ohio, U.S.A., where he spent the first eleven years of his life. Just at this time the American Civil War broke out, and although young in years, he was actively engaged in several conflicts, fighting on the side of the Northern army.

The family have in their possession a flag which was secured during one of these engagements. At the close of the war he made his way to Illinois, where he was educated, spending four years at the University of that City. Leaving Illinois he went to Chicago and studied, and afterwards practiced as an architect, until the time of the Chicago fire. In 1877 Mr. Dowell tame to this State and entered the Public Service the same year, and had been in the service ever since, spending 15 years in the head office of the Works Department. For the past 21 years he had been in the country as District Works Officer, having charge of the district offices at Goulburn, Moree, and Bathurst, and having been over the latter office for over 12 years till the time of his decease. During his years of public service Mr. Dowell was responsible for works amounting to several thousands of pounds, and always carried the highest confidence of the head office. Throughout the whole term of his residence in Bathurst, he was most highly respected, and his memory will be honored by all who knew him. The company who attended the funeral was largely representative, and those acting as coffin-bearers were: Mr. Bayliss (of the Foresters Lodge), Mr. Nash (Post and Telegraph Department), Mr. Wright (contractor), Mr. Alexander (District Works Office); and the pall bearers, the Mayor (Alderman Rigby, representing the citizens'. Mr. McRae (Public Works Department Sydney), Mr. Burke (Court-house, Bathurst), Mr. Dryden Architects), Captain Pringle (Presbyterian Church and Mr. Roberts (Clerk of Works.)

Bathurst Times 1/7/13 P.2

The Battle of Pozières was a two-week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle. The fighting ended with the Allied forces in possession of the plateau north and east of the village, in a position to menace the German bastion of Thiepval from the rear. The cost had been very large for both sides and in the words of Australian official historian Charles Bean, the Pozières ridge "is more densely sown with Australian sacrifice than any other place on earth."

(Ed. 5 of our men died in this battle)

Acknowledgement, above paragraph copied from Wikipedia.

PRIVATE JAMES W. DOWELL

Mrs. M. S. Dowell, of Piper St., Bathurst, last evening received a telegram from the Defense Department, stating that her son, Private James W. Dowell had been wounded in France. Private Dowell is a son of the late Mr. James Wilson Dowell, at one time Government architect in the Western district. He was 26 years of age, and prior to enlisting was schoolmaster at Kamarah, near Temora. He enlisted at Cootamundra, and embarked for the front in January last. He has been on active service in France since June last.

National Advocate, 7/9/16 P.6

In report below, is the description that James “was buried (Ed. by a shell) at Pozieres Aug. 8th

and sent away from his battalion with shell shock.” Following this report, are 2pp from the 45th Bn. War Diary.

This is from AWM files. Towards the end of which is the entry for August 8 (83 wounded.)

“The bombardment, which was heavier than most of the battalions engaged were ever again. To experience, had indeed caused shattering loss, in one day and two nights the 48th Battalion had lost, mainly by shell-fire, 20 officers and 578 men, and the 45th south of the road, by shell-fire alone, 5 officers and 340 men.70.”

Official History P.573

PERSONAL

Mrs. J. W. Dowell, Pipe Street, has received word from the Defense Department that her son, Private J. Dowell, is returning to Australia on hospital ship, “Karoola” and is due in Sydney about the 9th. April.

Bathurst Times 13/3/17 P.2.

WELCOMETO RETURNED SOLDIERSBY BATHURST CITIZENS

FIRST BATCH HONORED.

The Bathurst Citizens' Committee, which embraces representatives of all the public bodies of the town, was recently formed for the express purpose of suitably welcoming returned soldiers to Bathurst. It was seen as impractical to give each soldier an individual welcome for the reason that the soldiers were returning at different intervals and it was practically impossible for the committee to get in touch with them, and to know exactly the day on which they would arrive in Bathurst. For those reasons it was deemed advisable to welcome the returned soldiers in batches every few months, and the evening of the Prince of Wales' birthday, was chosen iii- an appropriate occasion on which to hold the first “welcome home'” This function took: place lust night, and there were about eighteen returned soldiers present, besides about fifty representative citizens. ------

Private Jack Dowell said it was rather difficult for him to speak on an occasion like that but he was very pleased to be there, and to partake of the welcome home in his own native town. Ho was sorry that many more soldiers were not with them because they all went away of their own free will. It was very pleasant for them to be able to meet their follow citizens. While they were away at the front they had feelings of home but when they came back and were entertained at a function such as this their feelings got a little the better of them. He thanked the citizens for their kind welcome. (Applause.)

Two holdings at AWM:

Dowell, James Wilson (Private, b.1891 - d.1946)

Private Record

Daily entries mainly a log of movements and duties covering January -July 1916.

www.awm.gov.au/collection/2DRL/1324

1DRL/0585

Private Record

Collection relating to the First World War service of 4575 Private James Wilson Dowell, 45 Battalion, AIF, Australia,

at sea, France, 1916. Collection consists of a Collins' pocket diary in which Private Dowell made brief daily entries

between January and May 1916. [Note: this collection was...

www.awm.gov.au/collection/1DRL/0585

DOWELL. - January 12, 1946, James Wilson (Jack) (suddenly), at his home, Bogaduk, Barry, via Blayney, dearly loved husband of Ella and father of Margaret and Alec.

DOWELL. - January 12, 1946, at Barry, James (John) Wilson Dowell, eldest son of the late James Wilson Dowell and Mrs. M. S. Dowell, formerly of Bathurst, and loving brother of Maud (Mrs. M. Gaffney), Bessie (Mrs. A. G. Fletcher), Mollie (Mrs. M. Cooke), Armstrong (Torrance, Cal., U.S.A.), Harriett (Bobbie), and Leigh.

The Bathurst Times 26/6/17 P.1

Buried Neville Cemetery Cowra.

Died 1/12/46.