Military service
Service number:
J/16574
Age:
24
Rank:
Flight Lieutenant Navigator
Force:
Air Force
Unit/Regiment:
Royal Canadian Air Force
Division:
434 Squadron
Birth:
March 24, 1920
Toronto, Ontario
Enlistment:
May 3, 1941
Toronto, Ontario
Death:
March 11, 1945
Germany
Burial/memorial information
Grave reference:
Joint grave 1. B. 9-10.
Additional information
Husband of Pearl Cranstoun Rowe. Son of Alfred Rowe and Agnes Nailson Rowe. Brother of Edward and Mary Louise of Toronto Ontario.
History Chronicle RAF F/LT A.G. Rowe DFC
The Last Mission of RAF Lancaster KB834 of RAF 434 Squadron
Additional citations
Air Crew Europe Star With France And Germany Bar
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal With Overseas Bar And Bomber Command Bar
Operational Wings
Memorial Cross GRVI
Digital gallery of Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
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Photo of RAF F/LT Navigator Alfred George Rowe DFC
RAF Observer & Navigator On RAF Wellington Halifax & Lancaster Aircraft. Bravely Served In RAF 425 432 & 434 Squadrons. F/LT George Rowe While Serving With RAF 432 Squadron 6 Group Stationed At RAF Skipton-on-Swale Was Awarded The Distinguished Flying Cross Medal 6th August 1943 For Acts Of Valour Courage And Devotion To Duty Performed While Flying In Active Operations Against The Enemy. As Per London Gazette Dated 17th August 1943: This Officer Has Displayed High Courage Ability And Efficiency During Many Operational Sorties Over Enemy Territory. His Outstanding Skill As A Navigator Has Been An Inspiration To His Crew And In A Large Measure Responsible For Their Success On Operations. Flying Officer George Rowe Who Has Displayed Gallantry And Devotion To Duty In The Face Of The Heaviest Opposition Has Set Up An Excellent Operational Record. Awarded RAF Operational Wings For Having Completed 30 Missions Or More. F/LT George Rowe DFC Courageously Flew On At Least 42 RAF Missions During WWII Before He Was Killed In Action During His Second Tour of Duty In RAF Lancaster Aircraft KB834 Of RAF 434 Squadron 11th March 1945 During Air Operations Over Essen Germany. Only Surviving Crew Member Rear Gunner F/O Ben Marceau RAF/POW Injured Who Courageously Completed 47 Missions With The RAF Through Two Tours Serving In North Africa & Europe. In Remembrance To The 7 RAF Aircrew Of RAF Lancaster KB834 Of RAF 434 Squadron: Navigator F/LT George Rowe DFC, Pilot F/LT John Fern, P/O Flight Engineer William Jones RAF, Bomb Aimer F/O Thomas Copeland, Wireless Operator/Gunner F/O Joe Latremouille, Mid Upper Gunner F/O Gibson Scott, Rear Gunner F/O Ben Marceau POW Injured. F/LT Navigator George Rowe DFC RAF Squadron History: 425 Squadron 19th Aug 1942 – 30th April 1943 Wellington Bomber RAF Dishforth. 432 Squadron 1st May 1943 – 24th July 1944 Wellington & Halifax Bombers RAF Skipton-on Swale & RAF East Moor. 434 Squadron 31st Dec 1944 - KIA 11th March 1945 Lancaster Bomber RAF Croft. At the time of his death F/LT George Rowe lived at 29 Summerhill Gardens Toronto, Ontario. -
Amazing Airmen
The Story of RAF F/LT Navigator George Rowe's Final Mission In RAF Lancaster KB834 Can Be Found In Author Ian Darling's New Book Release Published By Dundurn Press "Amazing Airmen - Canadian Flyers In The Second World War" Chapter 14 Is Titled "The Long Fall". -
Photo Illustrates
An RAF Lancaster Navigator Seated At His Chart Table Just Behind The Pilot. -
Buried Together
F/O J. R. Latremouille, F/LT A.G. Rowe DFC, F/O T.D. Copeland. Photograph Taken By Veterans Affairs Canada May 2015 During Filming Of The 70th Anniversary Of VE Day Ceremonies. -
Buried Together
Here In This First Row At Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Near Kleve Germany Are The 6 RAF Airmen Of RAF Lancaster KB834. Photograph Taken By Veterans Affairs Canada May 2015. -
Artwork Illustration
RAF F/LT Navigator Alfred George Rowe While Serving In RAF 432 Squadron Based At RAF Station Skipton-on-Swale Was Awarded The DFC Distinguished Flying Cross Medal 6th August 1943 While Serving As An RAF Navigator Aboard RAF Wellington Bombers. -
Restored RAF Halifax NA337
F/LT Navigator George Rowe Trained At Canadian Forces Base Trenton Before Transferring Overseas To England To Serve In The RAF. Pictured Here At CFB Trenton's National Air Force Museum Of Canada In Trenton Ontario Is The Brilliantly Restored RAF Halifax NA337 With RCAF Veterans & The Restoration Team. Halifax NA337 Is One Of Only Two Surviving Fully Restored WWII RAF Halifax's Left In The World Today The Other Being RAF Halifax HR792 On Display At The Yorkshire Air Museum In Elvington York England. -
Restored RCAF Lancaster FM213
Pictured Here At The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum In Mount Hope Ontario. One Of Only Two Flying Lancaster's Left In The World Today The Other Being RAF Lancaster PA474 On Display At Royal Air Force Base Coningsby In Lincolnshire England. -
Artwork Illustration
F/LT Navigator George Rowe Also Served In The RAF As An Observer. The Role Of An RAF Observer Was To Navigate The Aircraft To It's Target Using Map Reading Wireless Position Fixes & Astral Navigation Then As A Bomb Aimer Releasing The Bombload Over The Target. Later In 1942 It Was Realized That This Could Not Continue And The Trade Should Be Split Into Two Roles With One Crewman Serving As A Dedicated Navigator And One Crewman Serving As A Dedicated Bomb Aimer. On The Night Of 13th/14th October 1942 RAF Observer Sgt. George Rowe, Wireless Operator Sgt. Joe Latremouille, Navigator Sgt. Thomas Copeland, Rear Gunner Sgt. S. Cuthbert, Pilot Sgt. Joe Delorme & P/O Richard Clinton DFC. Flying RAF Wellington BJ783 Of RAF 425 Squadron They Left Air Station RAF Dishforth On A Large RAF Operation To Attack The Naval Bases At Kiel Germany. Present at Kiel During This Attack Was The Infamous German Warship Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen As Well As German U-Boats And Pens. This RAF Raid On Kiel Was Deemed Very Successful With Extensive Damage Reported. While Returning To Base From This Mission Power Was Lost In One Engine At 00:55hrs After Just Clearing The North Sea Coast Wellington BJ783 Crash Landed Near Rectory Farm Near The Village Of Beeford Driffield England. Two Crewmen Latremouille & Delorme Were Injured Bailing Out Of Aircraft Pilot Clinton Also Injured During The Crashed Landing All RAF Airmen Survived. -
Commemorative Poster
Before Enlisting In The RCAF F/LT A.G. Rowe DFC Was An Employee Of The Bank Of Nova Scotia College & Bathurst Branch In Toronto Ontario. On October 13/1946 F/LT A.G. Rowe Was Remembered On The Bank Of Nova Scotia's Roll Of Honour List. In 1995 Scotiabank Produced This Memorable Commemorative Poster To Mark The 50th Anniversary Of The End Of The Second World War. -
Memorial
F/LT A.G. Rowe DFC Is Commemorated Along With The 4 RCAF Members Of His Aircrew On Canada's Bomber Command Memorial At The Bomber Command Museum Of Canada In Nanton Alberta. -
Artwork Illustration
RAF F/LT Navigator George Rowe DFC Bravely Flew On At Least 42 RAF Missions On RAF Wellington Halifax And Lancaster Aircraft Through Two Tours Of Duty During WWII. Illustrated Here On A Night Mission RAF Lancaster's Fly Through The Ever Present And Deadly Search Lights Flak And Enemy Fighters To Attack Their Target In Germany. -
Artwork Illustration
In Total 10,659 RCAF Airmen Served And Gave Their Lives During WWII. They Fought For Us And A Better World Never Forget Them. -
Fern Crew Photo
The Fern Crew L to R: P/O William Jones RAF, F/LT George Rowe DFC, F/O Thomas Copeland, F/LT John Fern, F/O Joe Latremouille, F/O Ben Marceau, (Absent) F/O Gibson Scott. -
RCAF Letter
From 434 Commanding Squadron Leader Pictured John C. Mulvihill To F/LT A.G. Rowe's Wife 10th April 1945 Confirming RCAF Airman Missing On Operations 11th March 1945. -
Newspaper clipping
From the Toronto Star August 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
Photo of Alfred George Rowe
From the Toronto Star August 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
Grave marker
Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
Newspaper clipping
From the Toronto Star April 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
Newspaper clipping
From the Toronto Star April 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
Biography
The Book of Remembrance is a hand-lettered and illuminated book in which the names of all officers of The Bank of Nova Scotia are inscribed (including the amalgamated banks - The Bank of Ottawa and The Bank of New Brunswick) who died in The Great War (World War I) and World War II. -
Newspaper clipping
From the Toronto Telegram November 1942. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
Newspaper clipping
From the Toronto Telegram March 1944........Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me. -
Newspaper clipping
From the Toronto Telegram August 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
Digital gallery of
Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
Digital gallery of
Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
Digital gallery of
Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
Digital gallery of
Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
Digital gallery of
Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
Digital gallery of
Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
Digital gallery of
Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
Digital gallery of
Flight Lieutenant Navigator Alfred George Rowe
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 560 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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