LEST WE FORGET

Flying Officer Donald Frederick ROWE

Service No: 402403
Born: Sydney NSW, 18 January 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 August 1940
Unit: No. 223 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 223 Squadron Baltimore aircraft AG966), Western Desert, 5 November 1942, Aged 23 years
Buried: El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Frederick Schilling Rowe and Margaret May Rowe; husband of Daphne Rowe, of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. Australia
Roll of Honour: Drummoyne NSW
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Drummoyne War Memorial, Drummoyne NSW
Remembered: Commonwealth Bank of Australia Honour Rolls, Sydney NSW

On 5 November 1942 Baltimores AG941 and AG966 were two of a formation detailed to carry out as operational bombing mission against motor transport in the Western Desert. Intense and accurate heavy and light anti-aircraft fire was encountered while approaching and over the target. While over the target the two aircraft were seen to collide and both aircraft crashed to the ground and burst into flames. Four of the crew members baled out, three parachutes were seen to open and one failed to open.

The crew members of AG966 were:

Sergeant James P Canavan (1331767) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Bertram Arnold Kirkham (116908) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Donald Frederick Rowe (402403) (Observer)
Sergeant E B Skuce (R/74182) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner) PoW

The crew members of AG941 were:

Flight Sergeant Harold Paul Stanfield Annells (408008) (Observer)
Warrant Officer II Roderick Charles Mutch (R/75869) (RCAF) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Arthur John Newman (400285) (Pilot) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 19 February 1946
Sergeant Robert Henry Stevens (931214) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/55/239
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line

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