Remembering World War II

Name: Donald St Clair Bowser Rank: Able Seaman Service Number: A/5207 Service: HMCS Charlottetown, Royal Canadian Navy Reserve Date of Birth: June 13, 1918 Place of Birth: Pleasant Point, Halifax County, Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: November 24, 1941 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, NS Height: 5 feet, 7 inches Complexion: Medium Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Brown Trade: Fisherman Marital Status: Married Religion: United Church of Canada Next of Kin: Pearl Bowser (Wife) Pleasant Point, Halifax County, Nova Scotia Date of Death: September 11, 1942 Age at Death: 24 Cemetery: Pleasant Point Public Cemetery, Halifax County, Nova Scotia Grave: Commemorated on Page 59 in the Second World War Books of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 11 Donald St Clair Bowser was the son of Frederick Lloyd Bowser (1896-1943) and Gladys Muriel (Slaunwhite) Bowser (1897-2000), and husband of Pearl Marie (Baker) Bowser (1921-2007), of Ostrea Lake, Halifax County, Nova Scotia. Donald’s father, Carpenter Frederick L. Bowser also served at sea, with the Merchant Navy and died aboard CS John W. Mackay in the Indian Ocean on September 6, 1943. He was buried at sea near the Addu Atoll in the Maldives, the southernmost atoll of the archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Donald served on HMCS Charlottetown, which served with the Western Local Escort Force (WLEF) until mid- July 1942 when she was transferred to the Gulf Escort Force (GEF), serving in what is now referred to as the Battle of the St. Lawrence. She escorted Quebec City - Sydney convoys until her sinking. Able Seaman Donald St Clair Bowser was killed in action with the sinking of HMCS Charlottetown on September 11, 1942, in the Saint Lawrence River. Charlottetown was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-517 6 nautical miles (11 km) off Cap Chat in the St. Lawrence along the northern shore of the Gaspé Peninsula. The ship had been returning to base with the minesweeper HMCS Clayoquot after escorting Convoy SQ-35; not zigzagging at the time. The ship was struck aft by two torpedoes and went down fast and though most of her crew got off the ship, some died in the water when her depth charges went off as she ship sank. Her captain, Lieutenant Commander John Willard Bonner, RCNR and 9 other crew were killed out of her crew of 64. The survivors were picked up by HMCS Clayoquot. Donald Bowser died about three or four hours after the Charlottetown was hit. He had sustained serious internal injuries as a result of the underwater explosion. He was brought on board the rescue ship and attended by the HMCS Charlottetown's Sick Berth Attendant, himself wounded. The following crew were lost in addition to Donald Bowser: Lieutenant Commander John Willard Bonner, RCNR, Able Seaman Leonard Arthur Wharton, V/27329 (RCNVR) Ordinary Seaman John Charlie Garland, V/2703 (RCNVR) Engine Room Artificer Peter Kenneth Lovat, V/27067 (RCNVR) Stoker John Lundrigan, A/2985 (RCNR) Engine Room Artificer Thomas Allan MacDonald, 21749 (RCN) Leading Telegraphist Edmund Charles Robinson, V/9661 (RCNVR) Engine Room Artificer David Todd, V/5970 (RCNVR) Stoker Petty Officer John Alexander Grant, A/1871 (RCNR) Donald Bowser was interred in the Protestant Cemetery in Gaspé, Quebec, and later re-interred at the Pleasant Point Public Cemetery in Pleasant Point, Halifax Co., NS. Donald’s funeral service:

Donald St Clair Bowser

Sources: Canadian Virtual War Memorial For Posterity’s Sake findagrave