LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE HENRY J. BOWES, of Wellwood Avenue and Volan Street, Merchantville, lost his life when the Submarine Chaser 209 was sunk off Fire Island on August 27th, 1918. He was in command of one of eleven chasers as part of the "Patterson Group", an antisubmarine unit whose flagship was the USS Patterson DD-36. When the armed merchantman Felix Taussig mistook the chasers for German submarines and opened fire, the 209 was sunk, killing 18 and leaving 4 more wounded. The fatal mistake was made 150 miles off Fire Island, after three destroyers had left the twelve chasers. Two other chasers were sunk in the battle. Lieutenant Bowes had enlisted in the Naval Reserve before the country entered the war in April, 1917, in Pennsylvania, where he had lived for several years. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Evaline Humphreys Bowes, and his son, Henry E. Bowes, of Merchantville. They remained in Merchantville, later moving to a home at 131 Browning Road.

Young Henry Bowes graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1938.

SC 209: Friendly Fire

New York Times Account of the sinking of SC-209

Camden Courier-Post - June 12, 1933

Leon F. Rittenhouse of 1557 Bradley Avenue, is leaving today for California, where he will continue his study of medicine. Mr. Rittenhouse was a graduate from Washington Missionary College, in the national capital on Monday. 

Two of the Wilfred W. Frys' children were graduated at schools in New York and Massachusetts, this past weekend and today. Tonight Miss Eleanor Fry will be graduated from the Emma Willard School at Troy, New York Last week Wilfred W. Fry, II, was graduated from Mt. Hermon School, Mt. Hermon, Massachusetts. 

Henry E. Bowes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Bowes of Merchantville, spent last week in Annapolis, Maryland, where he took entrance examinations for the United States Naval Academy. He was graduated last week from Valley Forge Military Academy, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. 

Miss Helen Pratt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Byron Pratt of 213 North Fourth Street, has returned from Bucknell University for the Summer.

Miss Eleanor Holman of 108 North Fourth Street and Miss Betty Dickinson of 931 Cooper Street, have returned to their respective homes for the Summer. They are attending Syracuse University. 

Miss Frances Snyder of 331 North Forty-first street, was graduated at Syracuse this month.

Camden Courier-Post - August 11, 1933

GOLD STAR TOURISTS RETURN FROM FRANCE

New York, Aug. 10.- A Camden county Gold Star widow, Mrs. Evaline Bowes, of 131 Browning road, Merchantville, widow of Lieutenant Henry J. Bowes, U. S. N., arrived. here today aboard the S. S. Manhattan with the contingent of Gold Star Mothers and and widows returning from a memorial tour of French battlefields.

Represented in the group were wearers of Gold Stars from all sections of the United States.