Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

Hi to you all . Ive just returned from a rather wet weekend up at the RAF Elsham Wolds Association Do , sadly we never got to see the Fly past of the Lancaster , but never mind . Gentlemen Ive been asked by a Association member to help find one of his relatives Sgt Rowe -RAAF he served with 103 SQN , and was Lost on the Maily Trip , The family know where he is Buried , but has NO Crew Photos , No details of How many Operations He flew on , & No documents regarding his crew . All he did have was that his Lancaster was ME673 ,103 SQN Elsham wolds , Ive spoken to David Fell regarding this Aircraft , but Sadly David has No details At all . Can anybody help please . Riskey

Fortunately the Aussie's have much information on the interweb. Here's some info from:
http://www.awm.gov.au/catalogue/researc ... z005_1.pdf

He's listed as a PO, is it the same chap?

RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG
RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT
IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS

415830 Pilot Officer ROWE, Sydney Lawrence

Source:
AWM 237 (65) NAA : A705, 166/36/257 Micro Film No 463 AFH
Commonwealth War Graves records W R Chorley : RAF Bomber Command Losses of
the Second World War, Page 207, Volume 1944.

Aircraft Type: Lancaster
Serial number: ME 673
Radio call sign: PM – I
Unit: ATTD 103 SQN RAF

Summary:
Lancaster ME673 took off from RAF Elsham Wolds at 2148 hours on the night of 3/4th
May 1944, detailed to bomb the military camp at Mailly-le-Camp, France. Nothing was
heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base.

Crew :
RAAF 415830 PO Rowe, S L Captain (Pilot)
RAF Sgt J H Stallis, (Flight Engineer)
RAF Flt Sgt E G Housden, (Navigator)
RAF Flt Sgt E A Metcalfe, (Air Bomber)
RAF Sgt K R Warden,(Wireless Air Gunner)
RAF Sgt P A Staniland, (Mid Upper Gunner)
RAF Sgt D J Coldicott, (Rear Gunner)

The aircraft crashed in the target are while awaiting bombing instructions, and crashed in
the centre of Chalons-sur-Marne France. All the crew were killed and they are buried in
the Chalons-en-Champagne Easr Communal Cemetery, Locality Marne, France.

Just had a quick look at the Australian Archives website and Sydney Lawrence Rowe's service record hasn't been digitised yet

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/NameSear ... de=5259693

You can request it to be digitised so it's available on the internet by clicking 'request copy' the cost is $16.50 AUD. From experience you tend to get a lot more information from the RAAF than you do from the RAF!!

Cheers

Dave

Hello Riskey,

I only have a little about the Rowe crew.

With the code,
PM.J
22/23 Mar 44. Target: Frankfurt. Pilot, Plt/Off E. T. Jones and crew took off at 18:40. Had aboard Flt/Sgt S. L. Rowe RAAF as 2nd pilot.

Re-coded,
PM.I
1/2 May 44. Target: Lyons. Pilot, Plt/Off S. L. Rowe RAAF and crew took off from Elsham Wolds at 21:23 on their 5th op. Bombed from 10,000ft at 01:13. Landed at 04:50. (orb)
Flight Engineer, Sgt J. H. Sallis.............Navigator, Flt/Sgt E. S. Hudson
Air Bomber, F/Off F. C. Gore...............Wireless Operator, Sgt E.A.Metcalfe
Mid Upper Gunner, Sgt K. R. J. Warren....Rear Gunner, Sgt D.J.Coldicott
3/4 May 44. Target: Mailly-le-Camp. Pilot, Plt/Off S. L. Rowe RAAF and crew took off from Elsham Wolds at 21:48. Probably shot down by a night fighter near the target waiting to recieve instructions in the assembly point. Crashed in St-Memmie at Fonteney, not far from the local jail. The explosion blew out all the windows on the neighborhood, including those of the Hospital of Chalons-sur-Marne, 700m away. The bodies of five of the crew were found near the crash site. All are buried in the towns East Cemetery. 103 squadron lost 3 aircraft on this operation. (from - B.C.Losses, Marne, France Web site).
Pilot, Plt/Off Sydney L. Rowe RAAF +
Flight Engineer, Sgt Jack H. Sallis +
Navigator, Flt/Sgt Ernest G. Housden +
Air Bomber, Flt/Sgt Edward A. Metcalfe +
Wireless Operator, Sgt Kenneth R. J. Warren +
Mid Upper Gunner, Sgt Phillip A. Staniland +
Rear Gunner, Sgt Dennis J. Coldicott +

With luck our members may have more info for you.

Regards,
Wayne.

Hi again Riskey,

I have found a few more ops for the Rowe crew in my notes.

18/19 April 44. Target: Rouen. Pilot, Flt/Sgt S.L.Rowe RAAF and crew took off at 23:33 on their 1st op. Bombed from 10 000ft at 02:34. Landed at 04:50 orb
20/21 April 44. Target: Cologne. Pilot, Plt/Off S.L.Rowe RAAF and crew took off at 23:44 on their 3rd op. Bombed from 18 000ft at 02:09. Attacked by two night fighters, but no damage sustained. Landed at 04:48. orb
22/23 April 44. Target: Dusseldorf. Pilot, Plt/Off S.L.Rowe RAAF and crew took off at 23:17 on thir 4th op. Bombed from 19 500ft at 01:25. Landed at 03:48. orb

Hope this helps mate.

Wayne.

LOL What Can I say Gentlemen " OUTSTANDING , I have printed off the posts you have done ,and will be sending them of to him LOL The members of this forum are just Fanastic My Sincere Thanks to DAVE , & Wayne for a job well done ! Riskey

Riskey wrote:LOL What Can I say Gentlemen " OUTSTANDING , I have printed off the posts you have done ,and will be sending them of to him LOL The members of this forum are just Fanastic My Sincere Thanks to DAVE , & Wayne for a job well done ! Riskey

I second Riskeys' comments!
John