Corporal John Archie Bowman A.I.F
Prior to the final signing of the surrender documents on 8 May 1945, allied POWs from European camps were already being released from Nazi camps and being reestablished at places like Reception Camp Eastbourne, U.K. before eventual repatriation. Such a man was John (Jack) Bowman who, after 4 years of captivity following the Battle of Crete in 1941, was finally able to write from Eastbourne, U.K. in April 1945 to let his family know that he was alive, free, and on his way home.
John eventually arrived back in Australia, and resettled here on Block 86 section B, in Robinvale.
Letter from John Bowman to his family from Eastbourne U.K 29 April, 1945
“Dear Mother
Well I hope you have had a cablegram letting you know I am free. And what a glorious feeling it is to have, it is hard for me to realise that I can walk along a footpath now, a thing we were not allowed to do over there.
I suppose you have wondered and worried about me for the last month or so, well I was rather lucky. Four thousand of the camp were marched out towards Regensburg about a fortnight ago. They left the sick and unable to march, a lot of others and myself hid, they searched most of the day and kicked a lot out. Believe me I was sure buried deep like the old bear I dragged the hole in after me.
The Yanks arrived on Sunday 22nd, what a day, we went mad and it is a wonder we weren’t shot by the Yanks, we were in their way a lot.
Two mates and myself went to the village that night, and the burgomasters put us up, his frau (wife) and daughter cooked for us. We searched his place for a car to travel back in, in this we were ably assisted by the Yanks. Believe me, the Yanks are making the Germans wish Hitler had never been born. The doctor looked like losing his car for a while, but the fool had left it turned on and the battery was flat. I thought the Yanks were going to deflate him. We ended up tossing a chap who had a battery (an Australian) to see who had the car and battery. I was never lucky, he won.
So, we decided to start walking the next day, but we didn’t walk far, took a wagon from a German and made Parsburg in that. In Parsburg we were lucky, picked up a Mercedes Benz, the Yanks gave us petrol and away we went for Nuremberg forty miles away. I was driver and what a ride it was. Patton’s tanks had been over the road and bridges were blown out. The poor Mercedes, I put her into first and trod on the gas. It was Nuremberg at all costs and hang the car, it was German anyway.
We arrived in Nuremberg that night and put up at a camp for POW on the move. Next morning we were taken to an airport to Brussels by plane. We were taken through what had once been Nuremberg – it had to be seen to be believed – there is not a building standing untouched and it is nearly as big as Melbourne.
We stayed a night in Brussels, went in the city and celebrated our first night out of Germany, but only on a couple of beers; we were afraid to have more but were quite content to sit and watch the people stream by.
The next day we boarded a train for Ostend where we spent another night and we caught a boat to England. I couldn’t possibly describe my feelings when I stepped off the boat. The Red Cross fed us and we caught a train for here [Eastbourne] where I have been since. I am now wearing a complete Australian uniform. I go on leave on Tuesday am going to Galashiels in Scotland to stay with Mr Lochead’s sister, will stay a day or two in London. Have arranged to meet an Australian girl she is with the BBC.
Haven’t much confidence in myself yet, I feel too strange. Dad old chap, it is great to get foot on the rail around the bar again. I have been passed medically fit as a fiddle A1 fit for further service.
Well, my dears, lots of love to you all, hope to see you about June.
Love John.”
Source: Corporal John Archie Bowman, AIF Reception Camp, Eastbourne, UK, 29th April, 1945. All photos and documents used with permission of the Bowman family.
Stalag 383 Hohenfels, Bavaria J.A.B leaning forward on the right
Look forward to going back to we’re I was born at robinvale and meeting up with people
Hi Ray, look forward to catching up with you in October, think you were in same year as me – will be fun to see if we recognise each other! Cheers, Di Mann-Povey (website)