Stower, John Gifford
Personal Information
Rank | F/L |
Forename(s) | John Gifford |
Surname | Stower |
Gender | M |
Age | 27 |
Decorations | MiD |
Date of Death | 31-03-1944 |
Next of Kin |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington III |
Serial Number | BK278 |
Markings | QT-C |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Poland |
Burial/Memorial Place | Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 9. A. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 102 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 107520 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 1 |
Squadron | 142 |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Argentina |
Other Memorials
Location | Rural location, Zagan, Lubusz Voivodeship |
Country | Poland |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stones |
Memorial Text |
Location | Lotników Alianckich 45, 68-100 Zagan Voivodeship |
Country | Poland |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Board & Framed Photos |
Memorial Text | Pamietamy bohaterom alianckich lotnikow officerom rozstrzelanych przez Gestapo |
Location | Rural location, Zagan, Lubusz Voivodeship |
Country | Poland |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stones |
Memorial Text |
Miscellaneous Information
One of the Great Escapers. Shot by the Gestapo |
Mentioned in Despatches June 1944 |
Born 15 September 1916 in the Province of Jujuy, North of Argentina, he came to the UK as a youngster in 1925, spending his first years at a small school in Worthing, before finishing his education at Brighton College via Sedbergh. Two years later, aged 20, he returned to Argentina to work in a sugar cane mill close to his place of birth. Shortly after World War II broke out in 1939, John, as so many other native-born Argentines of British descendants, decided to volunteer and joined the Royal Air Force, sailing from Buenos Aires in July 1940 aboard the “Andalucía Star” for Southampton, with several other volunteers. A 'seasoned' escaper even before the Great Escape, he had made one unsuccessful attempt to escape and one which succeeded, although we was recaptured a few days later and spent some time in the 'cooler'. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 16-11-1942 |
End Date | 17-11-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Grimsby |
Day/Night Raid | Night (68% moon) |
Operation | Mine laying |
Reason for Loss | Aircraft was shot down but all the crew escaped to become prisoners-of-war |