Antony Bowman Jay AFC, BEM (1915 - 1996)

Born 2 Sep 1915 in Kensington Park, South Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Beatrice Royes (Metcalfe) Jay — married 5 Oct 1944 (to 13 Sep 1951) in Roseville, New South Wales, Australia

Died 16 Aug 1996 at age 80 in South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Antony was born in Kensington Park, South Australia during 1915. He is the son of Hubert Jay and Dorothea Von Doussa. He passed away in South Australia during 1996.

Antony was born in Kensington Park, South Australia on 2 September 1915 to Hubert Jay and Dorothea Von Doussa.^[1] The following birth notice was published in the South Australian newspaper, The Observer, on 11 September 1915:^[2]

JAY.—On the 2nd September, at Burnside road, Kensington Park, the wife of Hubert M. Jay, of a son

Antony served in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during the Second World War. He enlisted at Adelaide, South Australia on 27 May 1940. He was discharged with the rank of Squadron Leader in RAAF Station Laverton (TD Section) on 19 May 1949. He was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC) on 3 January 1947 for "exceptional courage and devotion to duty in the air."^[3][4][5]

Antony married Beatrice Royes Metcalfe in Roseville, New South Wales, Australia on 5 October 1944.^[6] The following 'Approaching Marriages' notice was published in the New South Welsh newspaper, The Sun, on 5 October 1944:^[7]

RAAF Bridegroom From Adelaide. A wedding of interstate interest will take place late this afternoon, when Miss Beatrice Royes Metcalfe, of Roseville, is married to Squadron-Leader Antony Bowman Jay, RAAF, of Adelaide. Canon Tugwell will officiate at St. Andrew's Church, Roseville, at 5.30 pm, and a reception will be held at "Guyang," Warrawee, the home of the bride's aunt, Mrs. L. A. Denison. Parents of the bridegroom, Major and Mrs. H. M. Jay have come from Adelaide for the ceremony. The bride, who is the youngest daughter of the late Royes Metcalfe and of Mrs. A. Royes Metcalfe, of Roseville, will wear a pearl embroidered gown of marquisette and satin, Her tulle veil arranged with knots of orange blossom has been lent by Mrs. Cecil Hoskins. Flight-Lieut, R. H. Miller, RAAF, will be the best man.

Beatrice was granted a divorce from Antony by the Supreme Court of South Australia on 13 September 1951.^[8]

Antony received a British Empire Medal (BEM) in 1978 for "public service as Range Overseer, Woomera."^[9]

Antony died in South Australia on 16 August 1996.^[10]

Antony was buried at the Currency Creek Cemetery in Currency Creek, South Australia on 20 August 1996.^[11]

Notes

1. A photograph of Antony and his wife, Beatrice, after their wedding in 1944 was published in the New South Welsh newspaper, The Sun.^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Genealogy SA, Online Database Search for Birth Registration, accessed 21 November 2021 (Subscription required to view full details of the above registration) , S earch result follows - Surname: JAY, Given Names: Antony Bowman, Date of Birth: 02-Sep-1915, Gender: M, Father: Hubert Melville JAY, Mother: Dorothea VON DOUSSA, Birth Residence: Kensington Park, District: Norwood, Book/Page: 965/584.
2. ↑ 1915 'Family Notices', Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931), 11 September, p. 31. , viewed 21 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164199510
3. ↑ Australian Government, Department of Veterans Affairs, Search result for JAY, ANTONY BOWMAN (Service Number 407061), World War Two Service, viewed 21 November 2021, http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?ServiceId=R&VeteranId=1052396, Service record results follow - Name: JAY, ANTONY BOWMAN, Service: Royal Australian Air Force, Service Number: 407061, Date of Birth: 2 Sep 1915, Place of Birth: ADELAIDE, SA, Date of Enlistment: 27 May 1940, Locality on Enlistment: Unknown, Place of Enlistment: ADELAIDE, Next of Kin: JAY, HUBERT MELVILLE, Date of Discharge: 19 May 1949, Rank: Squadron Leader, Posting at Discharge: RAAF STN LAVERTON (TD SECTION), WW2 Honours and Gallantry: Air Force Cross, Prisoner of War: No
4. ↑ 1947 'A.F.C. For Two South', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 3 January, p. 6. , viewed 21 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article30505211
5. ↑ Australian War Memorial, Honours and Awards (Recommendation), Anthony Bowman Jay, viewed 21 November 2021, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1560565
6. ↑ NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages, Marriages Search, viewed 21 November 2021, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/marriages?1 Marriages Search Results - Registration Number: 22086/1944, Groom's Family Name: JAY, Groom's Given Name(s): ANTONY BOWMAN, Bride's Family Name(s): METCALFE, Bride's Given Name(s): BEATRICE ROYCE, District: CHATSWOOD.
7. ↑ Wedding Report: The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954) Thu 5 Oct 1944, Page 7: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229275023
8. ↑ 1951 'ORDERS FOR DIVORCE', News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), 13 September, p. 2. , viewed 21 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130359159
9. ↑ 1978 'The Queen's Birth honours list for 1978', The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), 3 June, p. 17. , viewed 21 Nov 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131856664
10. ↑ Genealogy SA, Online Search of 'Newspaper Death Notices' Database, , viewed 21 November 2021 (Subscription required to view full details of the above registration) , Search result follows - Surname: JAY, First Names: Anthony Bowman (Antony), Other Surnames: Not Recorded, Date: 16-Aug-1996, Age: Not Recorded, Source: Advertiser, Notice: Death, Publication Date: 19-Aug-1996
11. ↑ Genealogy SA, Online Search of 'Newspaper Death Notices' Database, , viewed 21 November 2021 (Subscription required to view full details of the above registration) , Search result follows - Surname: JAY, First Names: Antony Bowman, Other Surnames: Not Recorded, Date: 20-Aug-1996, Age: Not Recorded, Source: Advertiser, Notice: Funeral, Publication Date: 17-Aug-1996
12. ↑ Wedding Photograph: The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954) Fri 6 Oct 1944, Page 6: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229279151

External links

• Virtual War Memorial Australia profile
• Find a Grave Memorial