Image kindly provided by Colleen Bowker via Rob Brown

Neville Bowker was born in 1918 in the Orange Free State, South Africa, but was brought up in the Southern Rhodesia.

He joined the SAAF (it is also possible that he joined the SRAF (Southern Rhodesian Air Force)), but transferred to the RAF in mid 1940, being commissioned in the RAFVR. He attended 70 OTU at Nakuru, joining 112 Squadron on 14 February 1941.

He served as a Pilot Officer in 112 Squadron, when the unit moved to Greece in early 1941.

On 11 March, 15 of 112 Squadrons aircraft were over the front, this time to escort 211 Squadron Blenheims on a raid in the Bousi area. An estimated 40-50 G.50bis were reported patrolling in the area and nine of these fighters from the 24^o Gruppo (led by Maggiore Cesare Valente) engaged the formation, claiming a Blenheim and one Gladiator shot down. The British fighters turned on the attackers and claimed seven shot down, one probable and seven damaged without loss. The claims were made by Flight Lieutenant Joseph Fraser (one and one damaged), Flying Officer Edwin Banks (one and two damaged), Flying Officer Richard Acworth (one), Flying Officer Homer Cochrane (one), Flying Officer Ephraim Hugh Brown (one damaged), Flying Officer Henry Harrison (one), Pilot Officer Bowker (one), Pilot Officer Gerald Westenra (one), Flight Lieutenant Charles Fry (one probable and one damaged), Squadron Leader Harry Brown (one damaged) and Flying Officer Denis Herbert Vincent Smith (one damaged). Bowker and Westenra where both involved in only their second engagements since joining the unit from Flying Training School.
Two G.50bis went down at once. Maggiore Valente and Sergente Luigi Spallacci both were killed, while Sergente Bruno Fava and Sergente Maggiore Ermes Lucchetta were both wounded and crash-landed their Fiats on their bellies. MC.200s of the 22^o Gruppo may also have become involved, for Sergente Anselmo Andraghetti of 369^a Squadriglia was lost, the cause not being ascertained.
After the combat Banks remarked that the G.50s must be armoured as they stood up to so much punishment. Fry reported that he attacked a G.50, which spun slowly twice then flattened out and turned slowly onto its back with smoke coming from it. It went into cloud and he didn't see it again. He also attacked another G.50bis of 24^o Gruppo, which went over onto its back and flew inverted into cloud. Squadron Leader Brown emptied all his rounds into a G.50 without effect. No doubt the all-metal construction of these monoplane fighters helped to hold them together.

During the afternoon of 13 March Squadron Leader H. L. I. Brown led 14 Gladiators from 112 squadron and six of 33 Squadron's Hurricanes off from Paramythia for an offensive patrol over the Kelcyre area. Approaching Kelcyre at 15:30 on an altitude of 17,000 feet an estimated 14 S.79s were seen - aircraft from 104^o Gruppo B.T. - with an escort identified as 20 G.50bis and 20 plus CR.42s.
Three of the Hurricanes attacked the mass of fighters, followed by the Gladiators, and many individual dogfights ensued. Squadron Leader Brown attacked the leading fighter of a flight of three, but it evaded him successfully. He then got on the tail of another, which turned and dived and eventually crashed; he claimed a G.50 and another damaged. Flight Lieutenant Joseph Fraser attacked a CR.42, which had not seen him. He reported that it burst into flames and crashed near Bousi. Two more were claimed destroyed by Flying Officer Homer Cochrane and Pilot Officer Jack Groves, while Pilot Officers Bowker and D. G. H. McDonald each claimed a probable CR.42.
The Gladiators reformed, then spotted about 30 more CR.42s with 38^o Stormo BR.20s. Seven of Flight Lieutenant Charles Fry’s ‘C’ Flight pilots went after the bombers, while Flight Lieutenant Fraser’s ‘A’ Flight tackled the fighters, claiming seven more shot down. Fraser attacked a CR.42, which flick-rolled and dived away. He followed it down and got in two long bursts after which the enemy aircraft levelled off and lost speed, with the pilot slumped forward in the cockpit. The aircraft then dived vertically into the ground north of Corovode. Fraser then climbed back up to 8,000 feet and got on the tail of another CR.42 firing at it continuously until it burst into flames and was destroyed. Fraser’s own aircraft was badly shot up, as was that of Pilot Officer Groves (after having claimed a second CR.42 and one damaged), but both managed to get back to base. Flying Officer Cochrane claimed two more CR.42s while Pilot Officer P. C. L. Brunton and Flying Officer E. H. Brown each claimed a CR.42.
The ‘G.50bis’ seem to have been 22^o Gruppo Macchi MC.200s, 11 of which accompanied 18 CR.42s from the 160^o Gruppo over the front. The Italian pilots claimed four Gladiators and one Hurricane shot down, losing just two CR.42s flown by Tenente Gualtiero Bacchi and Sottotenente Enzo Torroni (both from 375^a Squadriglia), but no MC.200s. It seems that Capitano Vittorio Minguzzi claimed a probable Gladiator in this combat.
Although no claims were made against the bombers on this occasion, several were in fact hit and damaged, a number of crewmen being wounded.
In his combat report Fraser commented that the CR.42 pilots always tried to flick-roll when attacked.

At 10:30 on 14 March three of 33 Squadron's Hurricanes were off with twelve Gladiators to escort 211 Squadron Blenheims to the Tepelene-Kelcyre area, where a large formation of Italian fighters was reported, variously identified by the Hurricane pilots as twelve CR.42s, twelve G.50bis and twelve MC.200s, and by the Gladiator pilots as 40-50 CR.42s and G.50bis. In addition ten Z.1007bis and five BR.20s were seen - aircraft from 47^o and 38^o Stormo respectively. The opposing fighters were 16 MC.200s from the 22^o Gruppo and twelve CR.42s of the 160^o Gruppo reporting meeting 20 Gladiators and eight Hurricanes, escorting five Blenheims.
Flight Lieutenant Charles Fry and his flight attacked the bombers, Fry himself claiming a BR.20 shot down north of Kelcyre near the front line after having attacked three formations of enemy bombers. Flying Officer D. H. V. Smith claimed a damaged BR.20 (and a probable G.50). 'C' Flight led by Flight Lieutenant Joseph Fraser became involved in a swirling dogfight with the Italian monoplane fighters, claiming four shot down, four probables and a damaged. Sergeant 'Paddy' Donaldson claimed two, both of which dived away pouring smoke, while Flight Lieutenant Fraser was attacked head-on by one, but managed to evade this and get on its tail, his fire causing the aircraft to roll onto its back and the pilot to bale out. One Macchi shot the tail off N5916 and Squadron Leader H. L. I. Brown managed to bale out only with the greatest difficulty; Pilot Officer Bowker's Gladiator was also damaged after having claimed a probable G.50, which was seen going down out of control. Pilot Officer P. C. L. Brunton attacked one and appeared to knock bits off it so that it went into a spiral dive with smoke coming from it. Other claims were made by Flying Officer R. J. Bennett (one G.50), Flying Officer Homer Cochrane (one G.50) and Pilot Officer Jack Groves (one probable G.50).
The Hurricanes also engaged the Macchis, 33 Squadron claming two shot down and two probables, but after believing that he had got one of these, Flying Officer Holman was himself shot down and had to bale out. Flight Sergeant Leonard Cottingham claimed one and one probable of the 'monoplanes' while Pilot Officer Starett claimed one probable..
The Italian pilots claimed two Hurricanes and two Gladiators shot down on this occasion. It seems that Capitano Vittorio Minguzzi claimed one of the Hurricanes and a shared in one of the Gladiators during this combat. The 22^o Gruppo lost Tenente Luigi Locatelli, who was killed, and Sergente Ferruccio Miazzo, who baled out, while Sottotenente Edgardo Vaghi's fighter was damaged. Gunners in one Cant Z.1007bis claimed one Gladiator shot down, and one bomber was damaged (reportedly by AA) returning with some of the crew wounded.

The 14 remaining Gladiators (only 6 of them being operational) of the 112 Squadron evacuated Greece on 22 April for Crete, where Bowker had arrived the day before.

During the evening on 11 May five Bf 110s of II/ZG 76, which had arrived at Argos from North Germany four days earlier, swept in over Heraklion airfield to strafe. Insufficient warning allowed only a single 112 Squadron Gladiator to get into the air, but Bofors and Lewis gunners opened fire as the Bf 110s swept round the airfield. As they completed their circuit, Pilot Officer Bowker attacked one and a low level dogfight commenced, during which the lone Gladiator pilot attempted to lead his opponents over the gun positions. After a few minutes the Bf 110s made off to the north-west, Bowker landing to claim one probably shot down.
This claim was definitely confirmed destroyed in the Command Intelligence Summaries.

During the defence of Heraklion, Bowker was slightly wounded and captured. He managed to escape from the field hospital and on 29 May he reached Egypt aboard the Orion, where he rejoined his squadron.

In his logbook, Bowker noted 30 hours in the air during his time in Greece and 35 hours over Crete.

Bowker spent the rest of the year flying Tomahawks over the Desert.

On 14 September, six Tomahawks from 112 Squadron received an R/T message that there was a ‘bandit’ over Mersa Matruh at 19,000 feet. The formation climbed to about 16,000 feet and spotted a S.79 bellow Flight Lieutenant Henry Harrison engaged the S.79, which he hit. The Italian bomber was then engaged by Pilot Officer Bowker firing his wing guns only as his .5” machine gun had jammed. He reset and returned to the attack and at 150 yards, he saw petrol streaming from the enemy aircraft. He pumped shots into the starboard engine and the fuselage and the S.79 blew up.
This was 112 Squadrons 77th victory and the first with their new P-40 Tomahawk IIBs.
Harrison did not submit a claim for a share in this victory.

On 4 December 1941, eleven MC.202s from the 17^o Gruppo (six from the 71^a Squadriglia, three from the 72^a Squadriglia and two from the 80^a Squadriglia) led by Tenente Colonnello Bruno Brambilla had taken off at 09:45 for an indirect escort to Ju 87s to be followed by a free sweep over Bir el Gobi.
At 10:20, in conditions of poor weather and at the height of 4000 metres over the target area, the Italian fighters met a Commonwealth formation of an estimated 30 P-40s and Hurricanes. In the ensuing combat, the pilots of the 1^o Stormo claimed eight confirmed and one probable victories (the confirmed went to Tenente Colonnello Brambilla, Capitano Pericle Baruffi, Capitano Pio Tomaselli, Tenente Conti, Tenente Ottorino Cappellini, Sottotenente Renato Bagnoli, Sergente Maggiore Gabriele Romagna, Sergente Egidio Buogo; they had spent 2195 rounds of ammunition). Sottotenente Lorenzo Chellini’s Macchi was hit in the cooling system and he was obliged to force-land close to El Adem writing off the fighter in the process while Maresciallo Marcello Lui had to force-land due to an engine breakdown. The remaining fighters landed back at 11:00.
It seems that opponents were Hurricane IIs coming from 1 SAAF Squadron and 274 Squadron (both parts of 258 Wing). Ten fighters from the first unit had taken off at 09:15 (one of them forced to turn back early due to engine problems) while twelve Hurricanes from the second unit had taken off at 09:20. The ORB of 1 SAAF Squadron recorded a free sweep over El Adem while 274 Squadron recorded a patrol cruise over the Army’s armoured units in the Trigh Capuzzo. 1 SAAF Squadron flew at superior height when it encountered a loose formation of MC 202s. It appeared to be a decoy formation for when Captain C. A. van Vliet climbed to attack, the Italians attacked the flanks of the formation; only now above them were seen six more and above these were some 16 Macchis and Messerschmitts, the former dark-green, the latter identifiable by their square wingtips. Meanwhile a straggling Hurricane had been picked off; Lieutenant T. Meek came down 40 miles from base and walked in two days later. In the ensuing general dogfight the Italians showed their fatal love for aerobatics. Lieutenant Vivian Penberthy caught one at the top of its loop, upside down and shot its tail off. Lieutenant Robert Kershaw DSO, claimed one and a probable, Lieutenant Lawrence Waugh caught one pulling out of its attack, half-rolled and sent it down smoking. Another pulling up in front of him went into a spiral and he saw it crash and finally he fired a long head-on burst on a third, which sent debris flying from it. Second Lieutenant C. B. Wilson saw his victim stop a burst, flick onto its back and go down in a trail of black smoke. The final score in the encounter was judged at two Macchis destroyed (Lieutenants Penberthy (Hurricane DG626) and Waugh), three probables (Waugh, Lieutenant Kershaw and Second Lieutenant Wilson) and two damaged (Waugh and Kershaw).
274 Squadron reported combat with Bf 109s and MC.200s claiming one Bf 109 confirmed and two damaged.
The South Africans, pleased with their own performance landed back at 10:45 while 274 Squadron landed back between 10:50 and 11:05.
At 09:10, 16 German Ju 87s together with six ’Picchiatelli’ of 239^a Squadriglia BaT, had taken off to bomb enemy vehicles 20km north-east of Bir el Gobi. The close escort was provided by ten MC.200s from 153^o Gruppo (take off at 09:30) and the indirect provided by ten Bf 109s of JG 27.
At 09:30, ten Tomahawks of 250 Squadron had taken off together with ten more from 112 Squadron to escort reconnaissance Hurricanes to El Adem and Tobruk. Between El Adem and Sidi Rezegh they met a huge formation of Stukas escorted by enemy fighters (most likely the Axis formations from the 17^o and 153^o Gruppi and JG 27) and attacked with devastating effects.
112 Squadron claimed heavy when Flight Lieutenant Gerald Westenra (Tomahawk AN303) claimed two G.50s (perhaps mixed with MC.200s), Pilot Officer Bowker (Tomahawk AN372) claimed a G.50 and a Ju 87, Pilot Officer Neville Duke (Tomahawk AN337/F) claimed a MC.200, a probable Ju 87 and another damaged while a Bf 109 and a probable were claimed by Sergeant Ronald Christie (Tomahawk AK354) and a damaged Bf 109 was claimed by Flying Officer Peter Humphreys (Tomahawk AK415). Finally, Flight Lieutenant Bary of 250 Squadron claimed a probable Bf 109.
Two Tomahawks of 112 Squadron were damaged, one of them (Sergeant Ferguson) heavily.
The MC.200s met the P-40s. Tenente Mezzetti, slightly wounded, landed at Gazala while four more Macchis were hit but the Stukas were able to land unscathed thanks to their action.
Messerschmitt pilots reported to have met around 40 P-40s, claiming three of them by Oberfeldwebel Otto Schultz (at 10:16 over Bir el Gobi), Oberleutnant Gustav Rödel (10:18 north-east of Bir el Gobi) and Unteroffizier Alfred Heidel (at 10:20 over Bir el Gobi) of 4./JG 27.

On the 27 December 1941, he was shot down by small arms fire when strafing, flying a Tomahawk (AN283). The Germans took him prison again, but this time for the rest of the war. The award of a DFC was announced in October 1943, but with effect from 6 January 1942, by which time he had been promoted to Flight Lieutenant.

Bowker was credited with 2 biplane victories and a total of 10 victories at the time of his capture.

After the war, he returned to Southern Rhodesia and married. He farmed together with his wife in Rhodesia and Mozambique and ended in South Africa in Mining machinery.

They retired to Australia in 1992 where he and his son have been instrumental in producing the first machine to remove the meat from coconuts.

Neville Bowker passed away on 21 May 2005.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1941
1	11/03/41		1	G.50 (a)	Destroyed	Gladiator II	N5817	Tepelene-Bousi	112 Squadron
	13/03/41		1	CR.42 (b)	Probable	Gladiator II	N5817	Bousi	112 Squadron
	14/03/41		1	G.50 (c)	Probable	Gladiator II	N5817	E Valona	112 Squadron
	13/04/41		1	S.79	Damaged	Gladiator II		Koritza	112 Squadron
2	11/05/41		1	Bf 110 (d)	Destroyed	Gladiator II		Heraklion	112 Squadron
3	14/09/41		1	S.79	Destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AN218	Sidi Barrani	112 Squadron
	20/11/41		1/3	Bf 110	Shared destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AN415	El Adem-Acroma	112 Squadron
	20/11/41		1	Bf 110	Probable	Tomahawk IIb	AN415	El Adem	112 Squadron
4	25/11/41		1	Bf 110	Destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AK503	1-2m off Tobruk	112 Squadron
5	30/11/41		1	MC.200	Destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AN338	El Gobi	112 Squadron
6	04/12/41	09:30-	1	G.50 (e)	Destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AN372	El Adem-Sidi Rezegh	112 Squadron
7	04/12/41	09:30-	1	Ju 87 (e)	Destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AN372	El Adem-Sidi Rezegh	112 Squadron
	05/12/41		1	G.50 (f)	Damaged	Tomahawk IIb	AK509	S El Adem	112 Squadron
8	05/12/41		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AK509	S El Adem	112 Squadron
9	05/12/41		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AK509	S El Adem	112 Squadron
10	05/12/41		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AK509	S El Adem	112 Squadron

Biplane victories: 2 destroyed, 2 probable, 1 damaged.
TOTAL: 10 and 1 shared destroyed, 3 probable, 2 damaged.
(a) Claimed in combat with G.50bis from 24^o Gruppo. 112 Squadron claimed seven shot down, one probable and seven damaged without loss. 24^o Gruppo lost four aircraft (Maggiore Cesare Valente and Sergente Luigi Spallacci were killed and Sergente Bruno Fava and Sergente Maggiore Ermes Lucchetta were wounded) while claiming a Blenheim and one Gladiator shot down.
(b) Claimed in combat with MC.200s from 22^o Gruppo and CR.42s from 160^o Gruppo. 112 Squadron claimed 10 CR.42s destroyed, 2 probables and 1 damaged and 1 ‘G.50bis’ and 1 damaged without losses. The Italian pilots claimed four Gladiators and one Hurricane shot down, losing two CR.42s flown by Tenente Gualtiero Bacchi and Sottotenente Enzo Torroni (both from 375^a Squadriglia), but no MC.200s.
(c) Claimed in combat with Z.1007bis and BR.20s from 47^o and 38^o Stormo and MC.200s from the 22^o Gruppo and CR.42s of the 160^o Gruppo, which claimed 2 Hurricanes and 3 Gladiators while losing 2 MC.200s and getting 1 MC.200 and 1 Z.1007bis damaged. 112 Squadron claimed 5 destroyed, 2 probables and 1 damaged G.50s and 1 destroyed and 1 damaged BR.20 while losing 1 Gladiator. 33 Squadron claimed 2 ‘monoplanes’ and 2 probables while losing 1 Hurricane.
(d) Claimed in combat with Bf 110s from II/ZG 76.
(e) Claimed in combat P-40s from 112 and 250 Squadrons, which claimed 6 destroyed, 2 probables and 2 damaged while getting two P-40s damaged. Axis fighters claimed 3 destroyed while getting five MC.200s damaged.
(f) G.50 from 352^a Squadriglia, 20^o Gruppo, 51^o Stormo CT. Tenente Aldo Vitali baled out and became a POW.

Sources:
Aces High - Christopher Shores, 1994, Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-00-0
Aces High Volume 2 - Christopher Shores, 1999, Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-03-9
Air war for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete - Christopher Shores, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia, 1987 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-948817-07-0
Eagles Strike - James Ambrose Brown kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo.
RAF 112 Sqn Tribute
Shark Squadron - The history of 112 Squadron 1917-1975 - Robin Brown, 1994 Crécy Books, ISBN 0-947554-33-5
Those Other Eagles – Christopher Shores, 2004 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-904010-88-1
Additional information kindly provided by Colleen Bowker, Rob Brown, Carlo Minguzzi, Michele Palermo and Ludovico Slongo.