On Chatham Naval Memorial is the name of 6086S Stoker John George Bowman, serving on H.M.S. Indefatigable with the Royal Naval Reserve who died 31/05/1916.

The son of John and Margaret Bowman, of 27, Hanley Street, Horden, Co. Durham

Colin Boyd has provided the following :

John was born on 2nd October 1896 in West Cornforth, County Durham to John Bowman, a colliery stoneman and his wife Margaret.   Five years later he was living with his parents, six brothers and one sister at 20, Paddy’s Row, Cornforth, County Durham.

In 1911 John was living with his parents and seven brothers at 5, Railway Terrace, Cornforth, County Durham and he was working as a belt boy at the local colliery.

John enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve on 20th January 1915 when he was described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall with grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He was posted to HMS Indefatigable in March 1915 and he was killed in action 31st May 1916 when that vessel exploded and sank during the Battle of Jutland with the loss of 1016 officers and ratings.

Acknowledgements: Barney Rice.

John George Bowman is remembered at Horden on H130.05 and H130.08, in the list of Local Men lost in the Battle of Jutland and in our List of Ships’ Crews.