Lowe, Herbert (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Action 1944-October-28

Pilot Officer Herbert Lowe RCAF

Birth Date: 1914-August-24

Born:

Parents: Herbert & Hannah Maria Lowe

Spouse:

Home: Ville LaSalle, Quebec

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: 1943-February-15

Service

RCAF

Unit

429 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Fortunae Nihil Nothing to chance

Base

RAF Leeming

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Wireless Operator/Air Gunner

Service Numbers

J/93826
Prev: R/219061

Final Burial
Google MapBrookwood Military Cemetery
55 H 6

Took off from Leeming at 17:18 in Halifax Mk III (Sqn code AL-Q Bomber Command) to lay mines off Flensburg.

Two W/T messages were received from this aircraft the first at 21:31 stating that the crew were preparing to abandon the aircraft

Killed includes Sergeant Lowe

POWs: Flying Officer Richard Herbert Barnes RCAF J/36285 POW camp not listed. Sergeant Kenneth Turner RAF POW camp not listed. Flight Sergeant James Gordon Small RCAF R/250799 POW camp not listed. Flight Sergeant Otto Hugo Sulek RCAF R/265007 POW camp not listed. Flying Officer H Kenneth Friar RCAF J/number POW camp not listed. F/Lt Allan R Milner RCAF J/number POW camp not listed. Warrant Officer Class 1 H L Johnson RCAF R/number POW camp not listed.

Mission

Halifax B.Mk.III NR173

Bombing Cologne Germany 1944-October-28 to 1944-October-28

429 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Leeming

429 Bison Squadron (Fortunae Nihil) RAF Leeming. Halifax BIII aircraft NR173 was hit by flak over Cologne during a daylight operation against targets in this German city but despite heavy damage to the the bomber, it returned safely to RAF Station, Woodbridge, England

Pilot Officer H Lowe (RCAF) had been severely injured in the flak attack and died from his injuries before the aircraft returned, the only crew casualty

Unit Desciption

429 (B) Sqn Fortunae Nihil ("Bison")

History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington III, X, Halifax II, V, III, Lancaster I, III)

No 429 Squadron was the 10th bomber unit and 27th squadron formed by the RCAF overseas in WWII. It was formed in November 1942 at East Moor, Yorkshire, UK as part of No 4 Group of RAF Bomber Command. On April 1, 1943 it became part of No 6 (RCAF) Group at No 62 (RCAF) Base, still remaining at East Moor until August 1943, when it moved to Leeming, Yorkshire as part of no 63 (RCAF) Base: it remained at Leeming until its disbandment in May 1946. It undertook strategic and tactical bombing operations. After the cessation of hostilities in Europe, it remained in England and transferred to No 1 Group, where it was engaged in transporting troops from Italy (Operation DODGE).

The squadron, with squadron code AL, flew Vickers Wellington Mks III and X until August 1943, when it re-equipped with Handley-Page Halifax Mk II, which it flew between August 1943 and January 1944, and Mk V between November 1943 and March 1944. These were superseded by Halifax Mk III aircraft in March 1944. In March 1945, the squadron re-equipped with Lancaster Mk I and III. In summary of its activities, it flew 3221 sorties, including airlifting 1055 PoWs back to England, for the loss of 71 aircraft. 9356 tons of bombs were dropped. The squadron was awarded45 DFCs and 2 Bars to DFC, 1 AFC, 1 CGM and 7 DFMs. Battle Honours were: English Channel and North Sea 1943-45, Baltic 1943-45, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1943-44, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1943-44, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1943-44. Wikipedia,Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin

Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)

Maps for Movements of 429 Squadron 1942-46

MAP 1: 429 Squadron Bases 1942-46 (marked in green). Right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab

429 Squadron History Summary 1942-46

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Buffalo, Hercules, Globemaster)

The squadron was reactivated at St. Hubert, Quebec on 21 August 1967 as a Tactical Transport Unit. It flew de Havilland CC-15 Buffalo aircraft for the Canadian Forces Mobile Command and was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces on 1 February 1968. In August 1981 it was renamed 429 Transport Squadron and moved to CFB Winnipeg . The final move was in 1990 to 8 Wing in Trenton, Ontario . The squadron was disbanded in 2005.

Two years later in August 2007, 429 Squadron was again re-activated, this time operating the CC-177 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft. It used these new aircraft in support of Canada's operations in Afghanistan.