LEST WE FORGET
Captain Brian Laidley DOWLING MID
From Australia serving in the Royal Air Force
Service Not Assigned
Born: 25 June 1889, Location unavailable
Unit: 22nd Squadron RAF
Awarded the Mentioned in Despatches (MID), 15 May 1917
Died: Air Operations, France, 2 September 1918, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Arthur and Maude Matilda Dowling (nee Street), of Edgecliff, Sydney, New South Wales
Remembered: Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
Remembered: Commemorative Roll, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Double Bay War Memorial, Double Bay NSW
While on an offensive patrol on 2 September 1918, Captain Dowling (Pilot) and Lieutenant Valentine St. Barbe Collins RAF (Observer), flying in Bristol Fighter aircraft D7990, were last seen flying east towards Cambrai and disappearing into a cloud. Neither of the crew members were recovered.
References:
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Book AIR 1/969 page 166, 79813
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line