William Ernest Bowman

Q: When did William Ernest Bowman die?

William Ernest Bowman died on January 1, 1985.

Q: How old was William Ernest Bowman when they died?

William Ernest Bowman was 73 years old at the time of death.

Q: When was William Ernest Bowman born?

William Ernest Bowman was born on September 30, 1911.

Born: September 30, 1911
Died: January 1, 1985
Age: 73 years
Nationality: United Kingdom

Deaths in 1985 January 1985 Died on January 1 Who Died Today Verified Oct 31, 2026

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About William Ernest Bowman

William Ernest Bowman, 73, English writer and engineer.

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Full Biography

William Ernest Bowman (30 September 1911 in Scarborough – 1 January 1985) was an engineer and writer, best remembered for his 1956 book The Ascent of Rum Doodle, a satire on the world of mountaineering literature inspired by Bill Tilman and his 1937 account of the Nanda Devi expedition. Bowman's work was a send-up of the rather pompous British expedition book style fashionable in the 1930s through to the 1950s.

Early life and family

Bill Bowman was the eldest of a family of three boys. His mother died in 1926 when Bill was 15, and his father in 1928 from World War I exposure to mustard gas. This led to a separation of the three brothers - Bill to Middlesbrough, the middle brother, John Howard (Howie), to Canada and the youngest, Lawrence, sent to live with another family.

Service in the RAF and peace activism

Bill left school when he was 16, subsequently following a career as draughtsman and civil engineer. During World War II he served in Egypt as a radar instructor for the Royal Air Force (RAF), and afterwards joined the International Voluntary Service for Peace in Duisburg, Germany. His pacifist convictions persuaded him to return his RAF paybook to the government.

Parody of the Kon-Tiki expedition and interpretation of the theory of relativity

The Cruise of the Talking Fish is Bowman's only other published work. It is a parody of the Kon-Tiki Expedition by Thor Heyerdahl. He did, however, write a number of pieces including a layman's interpretation of Relativity and several short stories. Bowman's leisure activities included hillwalking and painting.

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16 Verified Trivia Questions About William Ernest Bowman

Every question below is stored in the archive and checked against William Ernest Bowman's record and biography. The correct answer and the reasoning behind it are given with each question.

1.In what town was William Ernest Bowman born?
- A.Middlesbrough
- B.London
- C.ScarboroughCorrect
- D.Duisburg
The biography states that William Ernest Bowman was born on 30 September 1911 in Scarborough.
Source: biographical summary
2.What was the birth date of William Ernest Bowman?
- A.30 August 1911
- B.15 September 1911
- C.1 January 1985
- D.30 September 1911Correct
William Ernest Bowman was born on 30 September 1911.
Source: biographical summary
3.William Ernest Bowman was the eldest of how many brothers?
- A.Four
- B.ThreeCorrect
- C.Five
- D.Two
Bill Bowman was the eldest of a family of three boys.
Source: early life and family section
4.What caused the death of William Ernest Bowman's father in 1928?
- A.A car accident
- B.Mustard gas exposureCorrect
- C.A construction accident
- D.A heart attack
William Ernest Bowman's father died in 1928 from World War I exposure to mustard gas.
Source: early life and family section
5.Where did William Ernest Bowman's brother John Howard (Howie) move after their parents died?
- A.Germany
- B.Egypt
- C.CanadaCorrect
- D.Middlesbrough
After the parents died, John Howard (Howie) was sent to Canada.
Source: early life and family section
6.At what age did William Ernest Bowman leave school?
- A.15
- B.18
- C.17
- D.16Correct
Bill Bowman left school when he was 16 years old.
Source: service in the RAF section
7.What was William Ernest Bowman's profession before he became a writer?
- A.Teacher
- B.Civil engineerCorrect
- C.Doctor
- D.Journalist
William Ernest Bowman followed a career as a draughtsman and civil engineer.
Source: service in the RAF section
8.During World War II, what role did William Ernest Bowman serve in for the Royal Air Force?
- A.Radar instructorCorrect
- B.Field surgeon
- C.Fighter pilot
- D.Supply officer
During World War II, William Ernest Bowman served in Egypt as a radar instructor for the Royal Air Force.
Source: service in the RAF section
9.Which organization did William Ernest Bowman join in Duisburg after the war?
- A.The United Nations
- B.The Red Cross
- C.International Voluntary Service for PeaceCorrect
- D.The Peace Corps
After the war, William Ernest Bowman joined the International Voluntary Service for Peace in Duisburg, Germany.
Source: service in the RAF section
10.What action did William Ernest Bowman take due to his pacifist convictions?
- A.He moved to Canada
- B.He returned his RAF paybook to the governmentCorrect
- C.He burned his engineering license
- D.He became a conscientious objector
William Ernest Bowman's pacifist convictions persuaded him to return his RAF paybook to the government.
Source: service in the RAF section
11.What is William Ernest Bowman's most remembered book?
- A.The Nanda Devi Expedition
- B.The Cruise of the Talking Fish
- C.The Ascent of Rum DoodleCorrect
- D.The Relativity of Mountaineering
William Ernest Bowman is best remembered for his 1956 book The Ascent of Rum Doodle.
Source: biographical summary
12.Which author's account of the Nanda Devi expedition inspired The Ascent of Rum Doodle?
- A.John Howard
- B.Bill TilmanCorrect
- C.Thor Heyerdahl
- D.Lawrence Bowman
The Ascent of Rum Doodle was inspired by Bill Tilman and his 1937 account of the Nanda Devi expedition.
Source: biographical summary
13.The Cruise of the Talking Fish is a parody of which expedition?
- A.The Nanda Devi Expedition
- B.The Kon-Tiki ExpeditionCorrect
- C.The Arctic Expedition
- D.The Everest Expedition
The Cruise of the Talking Fish is a parody of the Kon-Tiki Expedition by Thor Heyerdahl.
Source: parody section
14.Besides satire, what topic did William Ernest Bowman write a layman's interpretation about?
- A.Evolution
- B.Radar technology
- C.Quantum mechanics
- D.RelativityCorrect
William Ernest Bowman wrote a number of pieces including a layman's interpretation of Relativity.
Source: parody section
15.Which of the following was a leisure activity of William Ernest Bowman?
- A.Writing plays
- B.Playing chess
- C.HillwalkingCorrect
- D.Swimming
William Ernest Bowman's leisure activities included hillwalking and painting.
Source: parody section
16.On what date did William Ernest Bowman pass away?
- A.30 December 1984
- B.1 January 1985Correct
- C.15 January 1985
- D.30 September 1985
William Ernest Bowman passed away on 1 January 1985.
Source: biographical summary