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My father-in-law, Jim Bowman, left behind more than a logbook and a rack of medals—he left stories. In retirement, he began writing down memories of the missions he flew as a young RAF pilot, capturing moments he had carried in silence for decades. They are modest, unadorned accounts, but within them lie courage, fear, humour, and the unmistakable voice of a man who simply did his duty. His stories deserve to be heard, and that is why I’ll be sharing them here on my blog.
As I worked through Jim’s writing, I tried to place each incident in its wider context, matching his recollections with official war records whenever possible. I also drew on Wikipedia and other online sources to help explain some of the entries in his logbook—cryptic notations that, once decoded, revealed the extraordinary scope of what he lived through.
Jim flew 59 missions with Bomber Command, an astounding number. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross twice[1], proudly receiving the medal from King George VI at Buckingham Palace. His missions ranged from attacks on V1 and V2 launch sites to the precision operations of the elite Pathfinder Force[2], where he ended the war as a Flight Lieutenant flying Mosquito bombers.
These pages are not just military history. They are the collected memories of a young man navigating terror, responsibility, and the thin line between survival and loss. I hope that in sharing Jim’s words, I can help preserve the humanity behind the history - and honour the life of a man I was privileged to know.
Medals earned: 1939-45 War Medal; 1939-45 Defense Medal; Distinguished Flying Cross x2; 1939-45 Star; The Air Crew Europe Star; and The Africa Star
[1] The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) is awarded to all ranks of services for exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy in the air. It recognizes acts of valour, courage, or devotion to duty while flying in a combat situation. A silver bar with an eagle emblem is awarded for a further act meriting a second DFC. It is the highest award for extraordinary aerial achievement.
[2] The de Havilland Mosquito was an exceptionally fast and versatile aircraft constructed almost entirely of wood and could outrun any other piston-engine fighter in the world. The “Wooden Wonder” – was possibly the most versatile aircraft of WWII. It used by the RAF Pathfinder Force (PFF) to mark targets for larger bomber forces, making them elite, high-risk units. Pathfinders flew ahead of the main bomber stream to identify and illuminate targets with flares, a dangerous task requiring immense skill and bravery. The Mosquito's speed and agility allowed it to escape anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters, though the role carried a high risk of being shot down. The Mosquitos carried out some of the most dangerous and daring low level pinpoint precision strikes ever seen.
Supplement to the London Gazetter
22 October 1943
Pilot Officer James Bowman (148116) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 102 Squadron
“This officer has completed a large number of sorties, many of them whilst serving in the Middle East. He has executed his tasks with skill and determination and his excellent example has proved a source of inspiration. On several occasions his aircraft has sustained damage by enemy action but each time, except on one occasion when he was forced to come down on to the sea, he has flown his damaged bomber to base. He has displayed great courage and devotion to duty.”
CERTIFICATE OF QUALIFICATION AS FIRST PILOT
Jim’s Aircraft Log 12 July 1940- 8 August 1941
· Cardington A.C.R.C 12 July – 22 July 1940
· Babbacombe I.T.W. 22 July – 5 August 1940
· Torquay I.T.W. 5 Aug – 28 September 1940
Initial Training Wings (ITW) were located in the Torquay area where aircrew and other RAF recruits would spend 8-12 weeks receiving basic service training. 1 ITW was based in Babbacombe on the northern edge of Torquay and trained over 27,000 recruits. 3 ITW and 5 ITW were based in Torquay itself and trained 8,000 and 10,000 recruits respectively.
Sywell E.F.T.S. 28 September – 4 November 1940
The aerodrome, known as RAF Sywell, was used as a training facility (de Havilland Tiger Moths) and later an important centre for the repair of Vickers Wellington bombers
· Shawbury S.F.T.S 4 November 1940 – 26 Mar 1941
RAF Training Command
· Upper Heyford O.T.U. 26 Mar – 2 May 1941
RAF Upper Heyford was formed on 8 April 1940 from the No. 4 Group RAF Pool, which comprised No 7 and No 76 Squadron, within No. 6 Group RAF, to train night bomber crews, for which it was equipped with Handley Page Hampdens and Herefords
· Brackley O.T.U. 2 May – 23 May 1941
Operational Training Units
· Harwell 15 O.T.U. 23 May – 4 August 1941
· Hampstead Norris O.T.U. 4 August – 8 August 1941
This Operational Training Unit relocated to Hampstead Norris on 1 June 1940. The airfield hosted a number of squadrons of Vickers Wellington bombers. The main role of the airfield was to ferry Wellingtons to Egypt, via Gibraltar and Malta.
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