Eric Kendall Bowden was an Australian politician.
15 Facts About Eric Bowden
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Eric Bowden was a member of the House of Representatives from 1906 to 1910 and 1919 to 1929.
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Eric Bowden was an alderman on the Granville Borough Council from 1904 to 1907.
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Eric Bowden was elected to federal parliament at the 1906 federal election, aged 34, winning the newly created Division of Nepean for the Anti-Socialist Party.
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Eric Bowden was defeated in 1910 after a single term, losing to the Australian Labor Party candidate George Cann.
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At the 1919 election, Eric Bowden recaptured Nepean as a Nationalist, replacing the retiring member Richard Orchard.
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Eric Bowden switched to the Division of Parramatta at the 1922 election.
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Eric Bowden's appointment occasioned some surprise, as he had no military experience, was not regarded as a strong speaker, and had shown little interest in defence matters.
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In 1923, Eric Bowden oversaw the passage of the Air Force Act 1923, the major governing act for the Royal Australian Air Force that had been established two years earlier.
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Eric Bowden oversaw the introduction of the government's five-year defence programme, which provided for the creation of a cruiser and submarine force.
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Eric Bowden argued for greater funding for defence to counter the perceived threat of Japan, but allowed a reduction in funding for the military and naval colleges.
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Eric Bowden resigned from the ministry in January 1925, citing ill health.
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Eric Bowden lost his seat at the 1929 election, which saw Labor return to government.
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Eric Bowden suffered from chronic respiratory disease in his last years and was in financial difficulties, forcing him to subdivide the land around Endrim.
15.
Eric Bowden died suddenly on 13 February 1931 at his home in Parramatta.