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'[[File:Dai_Bowen_2013-10-04_23-18.jpg|thumbnail|Dai Bowen]] '''David John "Dai" Bowen''' (born 30 July 1891, died 15 April 1912), was a [[Welsh people|Welsh]] professional [[Boxing|boxer]], who died in the sinking of the ''[[RMS Titanic]]'', along with fellow Welsh boxer [[Leslie Williams (boxer)|Leslie Williams]]. == Youth and training == Bowen was born in [[Treherbert]] to John and Leah Bowen. Originally a [[colliery|collier]], Bowen left the [[South Wales Coalfield|mines]] to become a boxer and was later was trained to box by George Cundick, who had learnt his art as a physical training instructor with the [[British Army]] in [[India]] and who also had trained Leslie "Les" Williams, John Bowen's best friend. Dai Bowen won the Welsh [[Lightweight boxer|lightweight]] title, and started boxing on the various British circuits. == Fights == David John Bowen's professional fights were as follows: 1910 :2nd April - Young Roberts (Treherbert), [[Pontypridd]] Millfield AC :20th August – Jack Titt ([[Pentre]]) 1911 :10th April – "Young" (Johnny) Walters ([[Pontypool]]), Pontypridd Millfield AC :14th October – Gus Venn (Pontypridd), Pontypridd Millfield AC :11th November – Batt McCarthy ([[Penarth]]), [[Hartlepool]] "Olympia" :rink :20th November – Gerry Delaney ([[Bradford, West Yorkshire|Bradford]]), [[South Shields]] :25th November – Billy Grant ([[Stockton-on-Tees|Stockton]]), Hartlepool "Olympia" rink 1912 :5th March – “Young” Walters (Pontypool), [[Cardiff]] Park Hall (Dai’s last fight) == Voyage to America and death == Cundick arranged for a series of boxing contests in the [[United States]] for both of his boxers, and they booked tickets with agents Dean and Dawson in Cardiff (ticket number 54636; 16 [[Pound sterling|pounds]], 2 [[£sd|shillings]]). Their ticket was a higher price than the regular steerage ticket as it allowed them access to the first class passengers' gym. Dai and Les were originally due to sail for America on the ''[[RMS Lusitania|Lusitania]]'' on Saturday 6th April 1912. They had to wait for Dai’s new [[Suit (clothing)|suit]] to arrive, which meant they found passage on the ''Titanic'' instead. Boarding the ''Titanic'' at [[Southampton]] as third-class passengers, Bowen wrote a letter to his mother: <blockquote><poem> April 11th 1912 My Dear Mother I am just writing you a few lines before I go sick for I have been very good so far. This is a lovely boat, she is very near so big as Treherbert, she is like a floating palace, against you walk from one end of her to the other you are tired. We are landing in France the time I am writing you this, you don’t know whether she is moving or not for she goes very steady. Dear Mother, I hope that you won’t worry yourself about me, I can tell you that I am a lot better than I thought I would be, for we gets plenty of fun on board. We met two [[Swansea, Wales|Swansea]] boys at the station, so you see that I get plenty of company. There is hundreds of foreigners on her of every nation. The food we get here is very good but not so good as dear old home. We have no boxing gloves with us, they would be no good if we did have some. Remember me to Martha Jane and Jack and Tommy Ostler, tell Morris and Stephen that if I will feel like I do now when I land in Yankee Land I shall be alright. I shan’t give you no address now, not until I land for it won’t be worth. I did not see David Rees in Southampton at all. Remember me to all I know, tell Stephen to tell all the boys that I am enjoying myself alright so far. If James tell you that I have not wrote to him, tell him that I can’t do it very good now, you can show him this if you like, for it will be the same I shall have to say now for the time being as I am telling you. I hope you will excuse the pencil for I have no [[Pen|pen and ink]], so cheer up now mother, for I am in the pink, so don’t vex. I think I will draw to a close now in wishing you all my best love. From your loving son, David John </poem></blockquote> Both boxers died in the sinking,<ref>http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=20070</ref> although Bowen's body was never recovered. The body of Williams was recovered by the ''[[CS Mackay-Bennett]],'' and buried at sea on Monday 22 April 1912. David John Bowen was 20 years old and single at his time of death. He lived at 42 Baglan Street, Treherbert with his mother Leah Bowen and brother Stephen Bowen. Bowen's family paid for a grave site memorial in his honour to be erected in [[Treorchy Cemetery]].<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-11615017</ref> Stephen Bowen wrote the following poem as a tribute to the sad loss of his brother: <blockquote><poem> “In loving memory of my dear brother David John Bowen. No more I’ll see him in our midst No more his voice I’ll hear For death has been and taken away The one I loved so dear. Twilight and evening bell And after that the dark. And may there be no sadness or farewell When it embark. Some day, some time my eyes shall see thy loving face Never shall your memory fade.” </poem></blockquote> ==References== {{reflist}} {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME = Bowen, David John | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Dai | SHORT DESCRIPTION = British boxer | DATE OF BIRTH = July 30, 1891 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = April 15, 1912 | PLACE OF DEATH = Titanic }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Bowen, David}} [[Category:1912 deaths]] [[Category:People from Rhondda]] [[Category:Welsh boxers]] [[Category:RMS Titanic's crew and passengers]] [[Category:Deaths on the RMS Titanic]] [[Category:Year of birth missing]] [[Category:People lost at sea]] {{Wales-bio-stub}}'