John Bowen died in hospital at Llandaff, Cardiff, on 21st September, 1951, after a long illness. He was 61 years of age.
Mr. Bowen began his training in 1908 as an articled pupil to Mr. Nicholas Trestrail, M.I.M.M., of Redruth, Cornwall, and attended lectures at the Redruth School of Mines, leaving England in 1911 on joining Frontino & Bolivia Gold Mining Co. Ltd., Colombia.
In 1915 he returned to England, and was commissioned to the Royal Engineers (Tunnellers), with whom he served continuously in France until 1919. He held the rank of captain and was awarded the Military Cross.
From 1920 to 1923 Mr. Bowen held the position of Assistant Inspector of Mines to the Siamese Government, and in 1924 took up the post of assistant mining engineer to the Niger Co., in Northern Nigeria, eighteen months later holding the same position with Nigerian Base Metals Corporation, Ltd.
He was on the sick list from August, 1927, to December, 1928, but early in 1929 went to Ireland as acting manager for British Non-Ferrous Mining Corporation, Ltd., where he remained until 1930. From 1932 to 1934 he was employed at Halkyn District United Mines in North Wales, and for the next five years he was concerned with tin and wolfram production on his own account.
During the 1939-45 war he again served with the Royal Engineers, with the rank of major, and subsequently served on the Control Commission in Germany. During 1946 he contracted a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis which totally disabled him, and from which he never recovered.
Mr. Bowen was elected a Student of the Institution in 1911, and was transferred to Associate Membership in 1922.
Vol. 62, Trans I.M.M. 1952-53, p. 77
