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J.E.Cowan

On the night of the 23rd September 1944, Lancaster Bomber PB409 (OF-F) of 97th Squadron, Royal Air Force Bomber Command made her last flight.

Her Flight Engineer was Flight Sergeant J.E.Cowan, DFM, R.A.F.V.R.

Jack was born in Poplar, East London in 1923.
He was a bright boy at school, and won a scholarship to Thomas Street School.

After leaving school Jack got a job in an office.
The Second World War had begun and office life was not for him.

As soon as he was old enough he joined the R.A.F.

After doing his basic training, he volunteered for Flight Crew.
He was sent to the Empire Training School in Canada, where he qualified as a Flight Engineer.

In 1943 he joined 44 (Southern Rhodesian) Squadron, flying Lancaster Bombers.

He did a full tour with them, visiting Berlin 6 times, plus attacks on 24 targets in Germany and France.

In June 1944 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for Meritorious Service.

He was then sent as an instructor, but again this was not for Jack.

He soon volunteered for another Tour of Duty, this time with 97 Sqn (Straight Settlements), again flying Lancaster's, this time from Coningsby, Lincolnshire.

The last flight of Lancaster PB409.

The attacks on the Aqueducts of the Dortmund-Ems Canal.
Night of 23/24th September 1944 by 97 Sqn.

A) General.

136 Lancaster and 5 Mosquitoes of 5 group bombed the banks of the two parallel branches of the canal at a point near Ladbergen, north of Munster, where the level of the canal was well above the level of the surrounding land.
Despite the presence of 7/10ths clouds in the target area, breaches were made in the banks of both branches of the canal, and a six-mile stretch of it was drained.

Most of the damaged was caused by two direct hits by 12,000-LB Tallboy bombs dropped by aircraft of 617 Sqn at the opening of the raid.
14 Lancaster, more than 10% of the force was lost.

B) The Squadron.

The squadron, which was 97 (Strait Settlements) Squadron, belonged to 5 Group.
The squadron formed a part of 5 Group Marker Force, and had its own Pathfinder Force.

The Squadron Report Book reports as follows:
Eleven aircraft were detailed to participate in a raid on an aqueduct at Munster.
All aircraft detailed took off, but in no way could the raid be described as a success.
One controller had navigation problems, arrived late and took no part in the operation.
The remaining controlled assessed the flares had been dropped south of the targets and ordered the 2nd and 3rd wave to drop their flares 3 miles to the north. After the raid it was discovered that the WRONG Aqueducts had been marked.

The issue was also complicated by low cloud creeping across the target and a lower cloud base generally than expected.
Many crews of 97 and 83 Squadron reported that they saw no markers at all.
It is hoped however that some damaged was done to the enemy.

Crews detailed to drop T.I,s and bombs on the town of Munster did so.

The heavy flak was slight, but increased as the main force came in, there was also some light flak.

The final problem was enemy fighters, which were encounter in some strength on the first leg of the homeward route.
It is believed these were from the Night Fighter Unit, 1 (Beleuchter) / NJG7 based at Munster-Handrorf, flying Junkers JU 88G-1.

From this raid two of 97 Lancaster failed to return, these were OF-F, flown by S/L Higgs and OF-B flown by F/O Lopez R.A.A.F.

No Signals were received.

C) The Aircraft.

The Aircraft was a Lancaster Mk III; its serial number was PB409. It carried the individual letter of F for Freddie and the squadron code of OF.

The Lancaster had been manufactured by AVRO in Manchester, and deliver to the squadron between May and September 1944.

It had a bomb load of 10 bombs of 1000Lbs with a 30 minutes delay on board.
It took off at 1920 hours (BST) on September 23rd.

It was shot down on the way home at a position 2.5 miles west of Burgsteinfurt, Germany.

D) The Crew.

Name Rank Position Decoration Number
R.M.Higgs S/L Captain and Pilot D.F.C 53148

T.H.Gibson W/O Navigator 1109375

V.G.Williams F/O Wireless Operator D.F.C 169155

J.E.Cowan F/S Flight Engineer D.F.M 1803789

T.W.Black F/O Bomb Aimer D.F.C 168636

H.G.Tiller W/O (RAAF) Mid-upper Gunner D.F.M 417677

D.Chalmers F/L Rear Gunner D.F.M 984297

The crew were all killed. They are buried in the Commonwealth War graves in the Reichwold Forest (4 miles Southwest of Kleeves). The cemetery is situated on the main Kleeves to Gennep road 3 miles from the Dutch border.

A final Note.
The information contained in section A and B seemed to be contradictory. This is not so, the attack was a success, but the squadrons record is rather pessimistic about its own effort.

(Many thanks to Mr R.C.DeBruin, Historical Researcher of Epsom).

R.J.Rogers,
Associated Life Member, Bomber Command Association

(And Jacks nephew!)

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