Birdie Bowers - Greenock Hero
Yesterday at Greenock Cemetery, a lone piper played a lament
in honour of local hero Henry 'Birdie' Bowers. It was one of those shivers down the spine
moments which I don't think I'll ever forget.
You might not have heard of Birdie Bowers, but he was part
of Captain Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica
in 1912. He was only 29 when he died and
was called 'Birdie' because of his prominent nose. He was born in Greenock, on a house on the
Esplanade and his family were from the town.
This is the family memorial in Greenock Cemetery where the ceremony was
held yesterday.
Scott and his team were beaten to the South Pole by just a
few days by the Norwegian, Amundsen. On
the way home, Scott and the four other men in his team died. Edgar Evans was first to die, having been
injured on the journey. Lawrence Oates who,
feeling that he might prevent the others from surviving, walked away from the
tent saying "I am just going outside and may be some time". I must have seen a film about that when I was
young, because I've always remembered those words! I think I remember crying too! (It was probably the John Mills version!)
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Image from Wikipedia. Birdie Bowers is seated on the left.
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Scott and the others, including Bowers, died in the tent,
weak from exhaustion and lack of food.
Ironically they were only a few miles from safety. Their frozen bodies were discovered many
months later and they remain in Antarctica.
From the photo above, I think I wear more clothes going out to the shops in January. What they are wearing doesn't look that warm! What amazing people these early explorers were - brave or foolhardy - what do you think?
Sir Ranulph Fiennes
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It was interesting to find out about Greenock's remarable local hero - Birdie Bowers.
Love,
Liz
Comments
I think it must have been a little bit of both brave and foolhardy (and in that order too) - How nice to hear that he was remembered in this way xxx
A very interesting post and as to whether the early explorers were foolhardy or brave......like Trudie said a bit of both.....
Certainly one place I wouldn't want to go exploring, such a shame they didn't make it back to safety when they were so close....
CLaire :}
Anne xx
Thanks for sharing.
Rose H
x