Alexander Keith Cowie

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by JRCowie, Jul 9, 2015.

  1. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Hi All
    Can anyone shed any light on the fate of these two airman from 252 Squadron RAF.
    I have checked the squadron history on line, Ancestry and CWGC website and not found very much.
    Your help is always much appreciated

    Regards
    John

    Alexander Keith Cowie – Sergeant – 1346515 – 252 Squadron, RAFVR – Died 31 January 1944, aged 20. Commemorated on Column 280 of the Alamein Memorial, Egypt. Son of Anderson and Mabel Cowie, of Aberdeen.
    Flying Bristol Beaufighter’s out of Mersa Matruh West.

    Darrell Anthony Lewis Hall – Flying Officer – 136404.
     
  2. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    London Gazette

    Darrell Anthony Lewis Hall – Flying Officer – 136404 formerly 1332708 Darrell Anthony Lewis HALL promoted LD Acm 4th December 1942. Announced 13th April 1943 London Gazette.
    Pilot Officer promoted Flt Officer on probation 4th June 1943 announced London Gazette 27th July 1943.

    Born Anerley 12th March 1923,resided 147 Shirley Avn, Educated Whitgift School, Employed pre war Equity Law and Life Assurance.Trained Canada Costal Command 252 Sqdn returned to the UK March 1943 posted Middle East shot down in Aerial Combat 5miles West of Stampolia Dodecanese Body not recovered ;-Source Croyden WW2 Memorial Book


    Kyle
     
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  3. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    You have searched peripheral online documents but not, it seems, the horses mouth.

    The go to for looking at operational Squadron events is the AIR 27 series at The National Archives.

    For a small fee you can down load monthly parts of the squadron Operations Record Book and look at the events recorded at the time.

    In this case you can find details of the loss of Beaufighter LZ341 and descriptions of the operations he undertook during the month.

    Ross
     
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  4. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

  5. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Thanks Kyle for the information on Darrell Hall and the link to the Aviation Archaeology site, much appreciated.

    I have not used "The National Archives" before, but I will be certainly having a look at the AIR 27 series, thanks Ross.

    One question is - how did you find the Serial Number LZ341 for this particular aircraft. Besides the National Archives are there other websites I should be checking?

    Thanks again guys for your help

    John
     
  6. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Hello John,

    My instance was pure luck `Googled` F/O D.A.L. Hall , Sgt. A.K. Cowie` and luckily the first result came back to the website I linked for you :)

    Kyle`
     
  7. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    In this particular aircraft I had it recorded as part to my research into Coastal Command squadrons which extends past the time they served with Coastal.

    However as I said you had enough info to go straight to a primary source rather than relying on the quality of internet transcript/copy.

    For finding details on any RAF death.

    1 Check CWGC web site. If operational squadron loss then unit is usually shown. If no unit and UK grave, then typically non operational unit death or accidental cause. If overseas, then non op/accidental or possibly operational, no way of telling from CWGC site.

    2. To determine unknown overseas/Runnymede Memorial unit regardless of cause check GRO RAF Overseas Death Register on Ancestry etc as unit is nearly always listed (watch out for close transcription errors).

    3 For Operational Squadrons download AIR 27 from The National Archives, Kew web site both parts of the month( Summary and Record) 8 times out of 10 the cause/crash will be noted

    4 Where nothing in AIR 27 and for all non operational/accidental causes try the late Henk Welting Unaccounted Airmen work hosted on RAF Commands. Quick way is to try Google date of death eg D M YYYY site:www.rafcommands.com or Surname Service Number site:www.rafcommands.com

    These 4 steps should cover most of what you are looking for.

    Ross
     
  8. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    II/ZG26 seems to still have been equipped with the Me110 although the Me410 was becoming available and a much more capable aircraft, so the Beau coul;d have fallen victim to one.
    The aviation archaeology site refers to it being one of two lost that day which Uffz Stoll claimed one.

    An Oberleutnant Jakob Stoll was a Luftwaffe ace (13 or 14 victories) killed with III/JG53 on 17 September 1940 during the Battle of Britain, so this chap may have been a brother?
     
  9. JRCowie

    JRCowie Member

    Thank you for your help, information and advice.

    I have a couple of COWIE casualties to find (airman), I will try the above and let you know how successful I am.

    Regards

    John
     

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