George Bowden (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
George James Bowden MC
(17 March 1888 – 8 June 1962) was an Australia
n soldier and politician.
to farmer William Henry Bowden and Catherine Christina, née McCalman. He attended the Whitfield
and Benalla
state schools before becoming a commission agent. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
on 6 March 1915, in which he rose to captain by 1918. Wounded at Gallipoli and the Western Front
(where he was also gassed), Bowden was awarded the Military Cross
in 1918 with particular reference to his daring at the Battle of Mont St Quentin.
in Gippsland
. He joined the Country Party in 1923, was elected to Cranbourne Shire
Council in 1928 (serving until 1938) and was an unsuccessful candidate for the Victorian Legislative Assembly
seat of Mornington
in 1935 and 1937. In the conflict between the Victorian and federal branches of the Country Party over John McEwen
's decision to support the United Australia Party
Government, Bowden was a staunch supporter of McEwen; he also supported Albert Hocking against Premier Sir Albert Dunstan
in a dispute over the attempts by the executive to influence the State party.
Although President of the Victorian United Country Party from 1940 to 1943, Bowden was not instrumental in the restoration of unity between the branches due to his military commitments during World War II
. He served overseas, but was transferred to the Reserve of Officers in December and was chosen as the Country Party candidate to replace Thomas Paterson
in the Australian House of Representatives
seat of Gippsland
.
by a narrow majority, and held it until his retirement in 1961, during which time the seat returned to a safe Country Party stronghold. Although never entering the cabinet, Bowden was chairman of committees 1959-61.
Bowden never married, and his health deteriorated in his later years, largely due to his war wounds. Cared for by his sister, he died at Heidelberg
on 8 June 1962. He was buried in the Cheltenham
Memorial Park (Wangara Road).
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(17 March 1888 – 8 June 1962) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n soldier and politician.
Early life
Bowden was born at Moyhu, VictoriaMoyhu, Victoria
Moyhu is a small town in North East Victoria, Australia. It is situated approximately 2.5 hours' drive from Melbourne, and 25 minutes from Wangaratta. It is part of the Rural City of Wangaratta...
to farmer William Henry Bowden and Catherine Christina, née McCalman. He attended the Whitfield
Whitfield, Victoria
Whitfield is an agricultural township in the King Valley in north-eastern Victoria.- Overview :The township is immediately west of the flood-prone King River and has State Forest to its west and east. Agriculture extends along several stream valleys which are tributaries of the King River...
and Benalla
Benalla, Victoria
Benalla is a city of just over 9,000 people located just off the Hume Freeway in north-eastern Victoria, Australia, about southwest of Wangaratta. Its Local Government Area is the Rural City of Benalla.- Overview :...
state schools before becoming a commission agent. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
on 6 March 1915, in which he rose to captain by 1918. Wounded at Gallipoli and the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
(where he was also gassed), Bowden was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in 1918 with particular reference to his daring at the Battle of Mont St Quentin.
Party politics
On his return to Australia in 1919, Bowden farmed at Koo Wee RupKoo Wee Rup, Victoria
Koo Wee Rup is a town in Victoria, Australia, 63 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Cardinia...
in Gippsland
Gippsland
Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. It begins immediately east of the suburbs of Melbourne and stretches to the New South Wales border, lying between the Great Dividing Range to the north and Bass Strait to the south...
. He joined the Country Party in 1923, was elected to Cranbourne Shire
City of Cranbourne
The City of Cranbourne was a Local Government Area located about southeast of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The City covered an area of , and existed from 1860 until 1994...
Council in 1928 (serving until 1938) and was an unsuccessful candidate for the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
seat of Mornington
Electoral district of Mornington
The Electoral district of Mornington is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.-Members for Mornington:-Election results:-See also:* Parliaments of the Australian states and territories...
in 1935 and 1937. In the conflict between the Victorian and federal branches of the Country Party over John McEwen
John McEwen
Sir John "Black Jack" McEwen, GCMG, CH , was an Australian politician and the 18th Prime Minister of Australia...
's decision to support the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
Government, Bowden was a staunch supporter of McEwen; he also supported Albert Hocking against Premier Sir Albert Dunstan
Albert Dunstan
Sir Albert Arthur Dunstan, KCMG was an Australian politician. A member of the Country Party , Dunstan was the 33rd Premier of Victoria. His term as Premier was the second-longest in the state's history, behind Sir Henry Bolte...
in a dispute over the attempts by the executive to influence the State party.
Although President of the Victorian United Country Party from 1940 to 1943, Bowden was not instrumental in the restoration of unity between the branches due to his military commitments during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He served overseas, but was transferred to the Reserve of Officers in December and was chosen as the Country Party candidate to replace Thomas Paterson
Thomas Paterson
Thomas Paterson was an Australian farmer and politician.Paterson was born in Aston, near Birmingham, England and educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Ayr Grammar School. He became a shoe salesman in 1897 and later a branch manager, but resigned in 1908 to study farming...
in the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat of Gippsland
Division of Gippsland
The Division of Gippsland is anAustralian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the Gippsland region of eastern Victoria, which in turn is named for Sir George Gipps, Governor of New South Wales...
.
Federal politics
With Paterson's support, Bowden won Gippsland in 1943Australian federal election, 1943
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin easily defeated the opposition Country Party led...
by a narrow majority, and held it until his retirement in 1961, during which time the seat returned to a safe Country Party stronghold. Although never entering the cabinet, Bowden was chairman of committees 1959-61.
Bowden never married, and his health deteriorated in his later years, largely due to his war wounds. Cared for by his sister, he died at Heidelberg
Heidelberg, Victoria
Heidelberg is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule....
on 8 June 1962. He was buried in the Cheltenham
Cheltenham, Victoria
Cheltenham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located 19 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston to the eastern side of the area's metropolitan railway line and Charman Road north, while the City of Bayside resides over...
Memorial Park (Wangara Road).