Cowley, Norman Coatner
Personal Information
Rank | F/L |
Forename(s) | Norman Coatner |
Surname | Cowley |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 27-02-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of Francis Ernest and Frances Minnie Cowley, of Old Leake, Lincolnshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster I |
Serial Number | NG175 |
Markings | XY-J |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Reichswald Forest War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 20. B. 17. |
Epitaph | THY WILL BE DONE (from The Lord's Prayer) |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 149 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 187512 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 186 |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Outside former Officers Mess, Stradishall, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick Memorial with Inscribed Marble Tablets |
Memorial Text | To commemorate 32 years of service by the men and women of R.A.F. Stradishall 1938 - 1970 |
Miscellaneous Information
Had flown at least 27 operational sorties |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1145/20 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1145/19 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 27-02-1945 |
End Date | 27-02-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Stradishall |
Day/Night Raid | Day |
Operation | Gelsenkirchen- to attack the Alma Plouto benzol plant (using G-H). 149 Lancasters of 3 Group, 1 lost. Attacked using G-H due to complete cloud cover. The results of the raid are unknown |
Reason for Loss | Hit by flak while bombing and went down streaming flames. ORB states "Aircraft L, C, K, W, A, V, E, U, M, G, and T report that this aircraft dropped all bombs in salvo and about 2 seconds afterwards the bombs blew up, when they were a thousand feet below. The aircraft then went down in flames. The Pilot appeared to be in control, the flames died down and about 1000 feet above cloud parachites came out and aircraft turned over and dived into cloud. Aircraft variously report that 1 to 3 parachutes were seen. One aircraft believed the Rear Gunner was clear". |