Cowie, Robert James
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Robert James |
Surname | Cowie |
Gender | M |
Age | 24 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 01-02-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of William and Mary Sutherland Cowie, of Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | MZ516 |
Markings | MP-V Vera the Virgin |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Brookwood Military Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 56. F. 8. |
Epitaph | DEARLY LOVED SON OF WILLIAM AND MARY COWIE, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 149 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/90034 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 76 |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Other Memorials
Location | Behind old Main Guardroom, former Holme On Spalding Moor Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Pillar with inscribed Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | In Remembrance of the aircrew members from the UK,Australia,New Zealand,Canada and Norway,who gave their lives in the cause of freedom in operational sorties against the enemy from 76 Sqn 1941-1945 and to the ground personal who lost their lives by enemy |
Location | All Saints Church, Holme On Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window and Roll of Honour within Wooden Box with inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | S G Window In memory of 76 Sqn R.A.F / Roll of honour In memory of those members of 76 Sqn R.A.F who were killed on active service 1939-1954 |
Miscellaneous Information
The aircraft had flown 77 sorties |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/653/10 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/653/9 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 01-02-1945 |
End Date | 02-02-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Holme-on-Spalding-Moor |
Day/Night Raid | Night (80% moon) |
Operation | Mainz. 340 aircraft, 5 lost. Early crews were able to bomb visually through breaks in the cloud but these breaks soon closed and the remaining crew relied on sky-markers. The hospital was damaged but little else- most bombs fell outside of the town. |
Reason for Loss | Starboard outer engine began to vibrate at 7000' on return leg while over East Anglia. Attempts to feather the engine failed and the order to bale out was given. Only three were able to comply before the aircraft hit the ground at Banham, NW of Diss |