Next of kin plaque : Corporal Herbert William Bowen, 19th Battalion, AIF

Bronze next of kin plaque, showing on the obverse, Britannia holding a laurel wreath, the British lion, dolphins, a spray of oak leaves and the words 'HE DIED FOR FREEDOM AND HONOUR' around the edge. Beneath the main figures, the British lion defeats the German eagle. The initials 'ECP', for the designer Edward Carter Preston appear above the lion's right forepaw. A raised rectangle above the lion's head bears the name 'HERBERT WILLIAM BOWEN'.

Herbert William Bowen was employed as a labourer when he enlisted in the AIF in Sydney on 8 March 1915. After training he was assigned the service number 1149 and posted to D Company, 19th Battalion. The battalion landed at Gallipoli on 21 August; Bowen was wounded near Hill 60 on 1 September but was not evacuated from the peninsula.

Bowen was more severely wounded in France the following year, at Pozieres on 27 July, a battle in which more than half his battalion became casualties. Suffering from multiple sharpnel wounds to his right thigh Bowen was evacuated to England to the Leeds War Hospital and later to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. While in Leeds he met his future wife, Isabel Sawyer, whom he married on 20 March 1917. In April Bowen returned to full time duty, serving with training units in England and France. He was promoted to corporal in June.

In March 1918 he returned to his his battalion in France. While in a working party near Morlancourt on 28 May Bowen was gassed together with 3 officers and 61 other ranks. He returned to his unit a month later.
On 11 August he was wounded again, in the arm according to a witness, near Rainecourt. Bowen elected to walk to the regimental aid post and in doing so had to pass through the remains of an orchard which was being heavily shelled. He was never seen again and his body was not recovered for burial. His name is commemorated on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial. Bowen was postumously awarded a Military Medal for his role in the 11 August action. The recommendation for the award reads: 'During the operations on 11th August, 1918, against RAINECOURT, East of AMIENS, the N.C.O. displayed great courage and gallantry in rushing an enemy's sniper's position which was causing considerable trouble to the troops while digging on the objective line./ Accompanied by Sgt. HALL [1392 Sgt John Hall], he rushed the enemy post in broad daylight and was severely wounded by a bullet from the post when only about 12 yards away. His comrade was enabled to clear the post killing two of the enemy with a bomb and capturing the remaining three occupants of the post who were wounded'.

At the end of 1921 Bowen's widow, Isabel, emigrated to Sydney. She was issued with his campaign medals and this commemorative plaque, but the Military Medal was sent to Bowen's mother, Margaret.