Flight Sergeant 1061586 Samuel Cowley

Family details:
Son of Robert James Cowley and Ellen Cowley, of St. Helens, Lancashire.

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately Samuel is redacted. Widowed father Robert J Cowley born 27/01/1882 a General Labourer Unemployed, brother Robert J Cowley born 27/09/1912 a School Master and brother Herbert Cowley born 28/11/1916 a Non Ferrous Rolling Assistant are living at 103 Lyon Street, St Helens. Mother Ellen Cowley was buried on 20/05/1925 at St Helens Cemetery.

[pic]imgs/sppics/runnymede135.jpg[/pic][caption]Samuel is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial (Picture by PaulC)[/caption] Flight Sgt Cowley was the navigator on Mosquito HX902. On the morning of 4th November two De Havilland Mosquito's took off from Cornwall. Their mission was to fly to the Bay of Biscay to look for and attack any U-Boats they saw. The aircraft were HX902 (Sqn Ldr Rose DFC, DFM/[b]Sgt Cowley[/b]) and HX903 (Fly Off Turner/Fly Off Curtis). Close to the Coast of France and flying at 50 feet in order to avoid enemy radar they reached their allocated search area. Both aircraft climbed to 3,000ft. There were no sign of any U-boats; all they could see was a solitary trawler. Sqn Ldr Rose dived down to investigate the lone vessel. It was assumed the trawler was a lookout post for submerged U-boats. Sqn Ldr Rose ordered Fly Off Turner to orbit while he went down to attack the trawler. Rose fired off a number of shells, which hit the trawler and the boiler appeared to explode. Accurate return fire from the trawler hit Rose Mosquito and the aircraft, trailing smoke, continued on its dive and crashed into the sea killing both occupants.