Cowan, Roland Reginald
Personal Information
Rank | F/L |
Forename(s) | Roland Reginald |
Surname | Cowan |
Gender | M |
Age | 24 |
Decorations | DFC |
Date of Death | 25-06-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Herbert Reginald and Lucie Agnes Cowan, of Caloundra, Queensland, Australia. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster lll |
Serial Number | ND729 |
Markings | PO-L Horatio |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 256. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 24 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 425278 |
Service | Royal Australian Air Force |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 467 (Australian) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Australia |
Other Memorials
Location | St. Mary the Virgin Church, Bottesford, Leicestershire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | RoH in wooden cabinet |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour remembering all 467 (RAAF) Sqn personnel who failed to return from Ops at RAF Bottesford |
Location | SHQ, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | External Clock & Internal inscribed Brass Plaque |
Memorial Text | A commemorative clock in memory of the members of 463 and 467 Sqns RAAF who served at RAF Waddington during WW2 |
Location | Memorial Gardens, RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Propeller & Inscribed Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | A memorial to the members of 463 and 467 Sqns RAAF who served at RAF Waddington during WW2 |
Location | Bar Lane, Waddington, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Clock and inscribed Wooden Plaque |
Memorial Text | A memorial clock to the members of 463 and 467 Sqns RAAF who served with Bomber Command during WW2 |
Miscellaneous Information
Born 21 August 1919, Brisbane, Australia. |
The crew had carried out every one of their ops in ND729. Their first op. had been to Augsburg on 25 February 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1935/14 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1931/11 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 24-06-1944 |
End Date | 25-06-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Waddington |
Day/Night Raid | Night (17% moon) |
Operation | Prouville V1 Site |
Reason for Loss | Take off 2233 on their 33rd and final sortie (although R.R. Cowan had flown as "second dickie" in two prior operations to Stuttgart on 20/21 February 1944 and to Schweinfurt on 24/25 February 1944). Whilst orbiting the target area, ND729 was coned by searchlights, hit by flak and broke up over Mareuil-Caubert (Somme) 6km S of Abbeville. Five crew killed, two died of wounds. |