HARE-BOWERS, DILLON ALDWORTH,
Lieutenant, was born at Marchwood, Hampshire, 26 September 1870, son of John
Thomson Bowers, Captain, 6th Warwickshire Regiment and Cape Mounted
Riflemen, who served through the Mutiny, and also in the Basutoland Campaign
of 1881 by his wife, Henrietta, daughter of the Honourable Henry Hare. He
was educated at Dale College, King William's Town, Cape Province, South
Africa, and joined the Cape Mounted Riflemen, 26 October 1886, as a
Private. He served in the Bechuanaland Campaign, 1897 (Medal and clasp),
taking part in the engagements of Gamaloos, Oliphant's Hoek, Puduhusche,
Gamaseh I and II; and for his services was promoted to commissioned rank as
Lieutenant 1 July 1897. He again saw active service in the Anglo-Boer
War, from December 1899, to the conclusion of hostilities. He was employed
with the Field Intelligence Department, and was present in operations in the
Orange Free State, March to May 1900, including the defence of Wepener;
operations in the Transvaal, west of Pretoria, August to November 1900;
operations in Orange River Colony, May to August 1900, including actions at
Wittebergen (1 to 29 July); operations in Cape Colony, south of Orange
River, 1899-1900; operations in the Transvaal, December 1900; operations in
Orange River Colony, November 1900 to March 1901; operations in Cape Colony,
1901-2. He was awarded the DSO for conspicuous gallantry at the capture of
Letter's Commando, near Petersburg, in the Graarf-Reinet district; was
mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 20 August and 15 November 1901],
and was personally thanked for his services by General French, who on one
occasion wired to him asking him to raise a detachment for active service at
a time when the Boers were becoming particularly active in Cape Colony.
Such a contingent was afterwards found to be unnecessary, but the fact that
he was asked to raise it showed the high opinion General French had of him.
He was thanked also by Colonel H Scobell (later Major General Sir H Scobell,
KCVO), under whom he served during the latter part of the war as
Intelligence Officer, who wrote: "Will you please keep my field-glasses as a
small offering from me to you? I had always intended getting you some
and having an inscription put on them, but as you have mine, I believe, keep
them, please. If I had had them inscribed I should have said: 'From Colonel
Scobell to Lieutenant Bowers, CMR. As a very small token of the
regard, respect and admiration felt by Colonel Scobell towards one of the
bravest officers and most thorough gentlemen it has ever been his good
fortune to meet'. Lieutenant Hare-Bowers received the Queen's Medal
with four clasps and the King's Medal with two clasps. He was created a
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 31 October
1902]: "Dillon Aldworth Hare-Bowers, Lieutenant, Cape Mounted Rifles. In
recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". In December
1904, he became Adjutant of Prince Albert's Guard, Port Elizabeth, a
position which he held for two years, raising them during that time to a
high state of efficiency. He was then offered promotion as Squadron
Commander of his old regiment, the Cape Mounted Rifles, in Griqualand, and
accepted it. He was promoted Captain 1 December 1910. He carried out his
military duties and those of police officer in a most efficient way, and was
recommended for and obtained the position of District Officer under the
Defence Scheme of 1911, the Resident Magistrate, Libode, South Africa (among
many others) writing: "I have known this gallant officer all his life, and
have watched his career, step by step, with great satisfaction. Captain
Bowers has served with me as Police Officer, and did excellent service in
the recovery of stolen stock from the above District, and I cannot speak too
highly of the services he rendered, which met with great favour from the
public at the time. Captain Bowers has a thorough knowledge of the
languages, and I strongly recommend him for any position of trust". When
the European War commenced Captain Hare-Bowers saw active service once more
in the German South-West African campaign, and in the Boer rebellion in
1914-15, and was awarded the Military Cross for distinguished service in the
field in German South-West Africa. He commanded the 3rd Regiment South
African Mounted Rifles for some months in German South-West Africa,
including the rebellion of 1915, during the absence of the Commanding
Officer, and was highly commended for his services by Major General Sir H T
Lukin, KCMG, who commanded the Brigade. On the cessation of hostilities
there Captain Hare-Bowers volunteered for active service in the main theatre
of war. He was attached to the Royal Fusiliers; was promoted Temporary
Major 3 February 1917, and served in France and Flanders in 1917 and 1918.
He was promoted Major 1 December 1918. Major Hare-Bowers had two brothers
serving in the European War, one a Sergeant in the Cape Mounted Rifles, the
other in the South African Constabulary. His favourite recreations were
cricket, tennis, golf and polo. On 17 October 1901, he married, at Umtata,
Transvaal, South Africa, Alice, daughter of John and Alice Bishop, of
Galbally, Tipperary, Ireland.
