Phillip Bowie was born on Thursday Island, and has family connections to Badu Island in the Torres Strait. Phillip joined the Navy in 1965 after recruiters visited Thursday Island seeking to enlist Torres Strait Islanders. Racism was rife during his service and Phillip said that both Aboriginal people and other minorities were treated differently to white members of the RAN. More than not being treated equally, Phillip voiced his experience in the Navy, particularly treatment by senior officers, as abusive and, at times, frightening. Like his mate Les Boyd, Phillip said that the Navy taught him how to cope with, and survive, racism and inequality.

This interview took place on 8 April 2014 in Cairns and was conducted by Professor Mick Dodson with Craig Greene as part of the Australian Research Council-funded research project Serving our Country: a history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the defence of Australia.

The interview recording above is made available to be viewed here by permission of the interviewee(s), Phillip Bowie. The recording may not be copied, reproduced or communicated in whole or in part without the prior permission of the interviewee(s). Requests for permission for use of this material should be made to the Serving our Country research project: our contact details.

• Return to Phillip Bowie’s participant page.