206153 Private William James "Basher Billy" Bowen British Army South Wales Borderers Basher Billy Bowen as was known because of his boxing abilities. All throughout the war he was a great boxer and he got himself into many a scrap using his fists.
He was captured at Dunkirk during the early days and taken to Stalag 357. He had a high regard for his German captors. He said they suffered with lack of food and facilities just as much as the prisoners towards the end, but the guards did share what little they had with them.
He was a great story teller and one story was that during his days as a Corporal he was asked to teach Diana Dors to swim, not sure if this was true or not.
He spent all his life as an Army man. He ended his days in Chelsea hospital where he died of cancer brought on by smoking and drinking too much. He is now buried at Brookwood. Which is a fitting end for such a tough man who devoted his life to the army.
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