Air-Vice Marshal Thomas Geoffrey Bowler (1 March 1895 – 5 September 1974) was a senior

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

officer. Bowler was educated at Bloxham School in

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. He joined the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

at the outbreak of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, commissioning into the Dorset Regiment. He was promoted to captain on 23 August 1915, and served in the Gallipoli Campaign. He was mentioned in dispatches in 1916. In 1917, he transferred to the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

. Bowler was made Flight Lieutenant (Aeroplane Branch) in 1919 in the

and afterwards held numerous RAF appointments in England and the

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. He started his service in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

as a wing commander, ending the war as an air commodore. He was promoted to air-vice marshal in 1947. Bowler was made a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

on 7 June 1951, having retired from the Royal Air Force two months earlier.The London Gazette, 7 June 1951 http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/39243/supplements/3063/page.pdf

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowler, Thomas 1895 births 1974 deaths Royal Air Force air marshals of World War II Dorset Regiment officers British Army personnel of World War I British Army personnel of World War II Companions of the Order of the Bath Commanders of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Bloxham School