Harry Cowdrey . Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Squadron 879 from Elephant and Castle My Dad was in WW2, he joined in 1942 at the age of 18. He didn't speak much about it until these last five years or so. He befriended a young man called Harry Cowdrey who came from Elephant and Castle. He sailed to the States on the Queen Elizabeth at the same time as Winston Churchill and Harry went with him. They trained as pilots and were in BFTS 3 on Course 16, Spartan School of Aeronautics (this latter number defines a group of lads training at that time). After receiving his Wings and wanting to get in on the action and put his new found skills into practice, he signed up for the Navy Fleet Air Arm and was in Squadron 879. He was sent to Dundee RAF Teeling where he learnt to fly Spitfires, I know he did reconnaissance work and he has told me many stories of his experiences but it is Harry I would love to find if he is still alive. If anyone can relate to any of this information and could take the trouble to email me that would be fantastic.
|
MA Cowdrey . British Army North Staffordshire Regiment MA Cowdrey served with the North Staffordshire Regiment British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
RJG Cowdrey . British Army RJG Cowdrey served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
Pte Alfred Graham "Fred" Cowell . British Army Royal Sussex Regiment from Port Talbot, Wales (d.21st May 1940) My grandfather Fred Cowell was a drummer with the Royal Sussex, I would love to hear from anyone who knew him, all I want is a photograph of him, I am so desperate for any information.
|
Pte. Alfred Graham "Fred" Cowell . British Army 2nd Btn. Royal Sussex Regiment from Port Talbot (d.21st May 1940) Unfortunately I have a short story to tell, my grandfather Fred Cowell was killed at Dunkirk and my mother never knew her father. I know he was born in Wales in 1920, my grandmother was Irish, as far as I know he stationed in Victoria Barracks in Belfast in 1939 when he was the called for war. I know he had 2 brothers and 1 sister all from Wales. I have visited his memorial stone in Dunkirk Cemetery, column 64. I would like to hear from any one from the same regiment or any information which would be very helpful.
|
AT Cowell . British Army East Kent Regiment AT Cowell served with the East Kent Regiment British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
E Cowell . British Army Staffordshire Yeomanry E Cowell served with the Staffordshire Yeomanry British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
Gnr. George William Cowell . British Army 62nd (The Loyal) Searchlight Regiment, 437 Bty. Royal Artillery from Chorley, Lancashire My grandfather, George Cowell, enlisted in the Loyal Territorial Army at Chorley, Lancashire on 16 April 1935.
On 31st October 31st 1938, he was discharged on reorganisation and on 3rd March 1939, re-enlisted in the RA Territorial Army, posted with the 437/62 Searchlight Regiment.
He was Called for actual military service on 24th August 1939, he was later posted to the 2nd Maritime Anti Aircraft Battery on 30th October 1941.
During his time with the MRA, he spent two months on the Empire Lynx as it made its way to the US and Canada with Convoy OB349 (Liverpool - Philadelphia) and SC43 (Sydney, NS - Liverpool) and seven months on the Lochnagar (March 1942 - October 1942), assisting the US base in Iceland as they supported the Arctic Convoys.
In June 1943, he boarded the SS Banfora for Port Said with convoy KMF19. For the next eleven months, this ship was home as they accompanied various convoys throughout the Middle East, visiting ports such as Casablanca, Algiers, Bizerta and Gibralta.
They were part of the escort for Operation Husky (MEF38 for the Malta-Aleaxandria leg, and also came under torpedo attack with UGF10 (Casablanca-Algiers) on the night of 1st/2nd November 1943, and again during the day of 3rd November 1943.
The SS Banfora was present when the ill-fated HMT Rohnacame under attack and was sunk on 26th November 1943 (KMF26) thus entering troopship history, by virtue of the large scale aerial attack and great loss of life, only a few miles off the coast of Algeria.
In June 1944, he joined the Empire Rosalind in Haifa, before later joining convoy TM1 (10th August 1944 - 16th August 1944), and invasion of Southern Italy - Operation Dragoon - as part of Alpha Force (Task Force 84), defending Cavaliere Bay - beaches Red and Yellow.
On 17th November 1944, his final journey was on the Orbita, with convoy MKS68 (Alexandria - Gibralter) before joining SL177 for Belfast. He officially left the Orbita on 18th December 1944, and was posted to 23 ITC on 24th March 1945.
During the past 22 years (through extensive research) I've managed to learn more and more about his service (most recently the Rohna incident) - prior to this he never spoke of his experiences and his death in 1982 meant I never had the chance to to ask "What did you do during the war, grandpa?"
Any information and help is warmly welcomed.
|
AB. Harry Cowell . Royal Navy HMS Highflyer (d.14th July 1945) Harry Cowell is buried in Trincomalee War Cemetery, Sri Lanka.
|
JA Cowell . British Army East Lancashire Regiment JA Cowell served with the East Lancashire Regiment British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
Pte. Joseph Robert Cowell . British Army 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry from Birtley, Durham (d.12th April 1945)
|
K Cowell . British Army K Cowell served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
L/Cpl. William John Cowell . British Army 9th Btn. Cameronians from Maidenhead, Berkshire (d.10th Jul 1944)
|
F/O W. J. Cowen . 97 Squadron
|
Sergeant A M Cowgill . RAF VR 59 Squadron
|
K Cowgill . British Army Royal Armoured Corps K Cowgill served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
PW Cowgill . British Army PW Cowgill served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
A Cowie . British Army A Cowie served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
CH Cowie . British Army 5th Regiment Reconnaissance Corps CH Cowie served with the 5th Regiment Reconnaissance Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
George Cowie . British Army My dad was a POW in Stalag 20a. He was in a Scots regiment.
|
HB Cowie . British Army Royal Artillery HB Cowie served with the Royal Artillery British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
Jock Cowie . British Army Royal Artillery My dad joined up in 1939 and was captured on Crete after defending it against the German landings. He used to talk of Suda Bay and watching a famous British battleship being sunk off the coast. He spent the rest of the war as a POW in Oflag 8b. He used to tell me a fantastic story of what happened after his liberation - one particularly nasty German guard was executed for his crimes. Dad and his mates used all sorts of transport to get back home - a horse and cart, a Russian tank with no steering and a double decker bus.
When Dad came back to England he ended up in Old Park Barracks in Dover and met my Mum who was working in the NAAFI. Dad became a parachute jumping instructor and taught Boys Battery RA whilst stationed in Oswestry. He finished his career (22 yrs) as a WOII.
|
Sgt. Philip Joseph Cowie . British Army Queen Mary's Regiment Surrey Yeomanry from Clapham A happy story!
My late father wrote to his younger brother who was based in Taranto in the navy. He was due to pay a visit and, being an officer, was to be placed in officers' accomodation.
He then wrote to say he could not come. My uncle, Richard Cowie, somewhat disappointed, approached his CO for permission to go up to Naples to see my father. He was given 3 days and was told it was up to him to get there himself.
My uncle went to the nearby airfield, somehow dodged security, being a much smaller chap than my father. He went straight through to the CO of the airfield and asked if he could go on the next flight. He was told to report the next morning.
The pilot was waiting to leave when my uncle approached and boarded. He was told by the pilot that he was awaiting a VIP. That VIP was my uncle!
He flew up to Naples and the very next day found my father and they spent the day together. They decided to go into a photographer's shop and have a picture taken together. My father was about 6ft and my uncle more 5ft. "The bambino can stand on the box!" said the photographer. My uncle was barely 18!
The resulting picture was made into a postcard and sent home to their mother in Clapham. We still have that postcard.
As a momento of their meeting, my father went into a little shop and got a small box made up to contain cigarettes. On one side was painted the crest of Queen Mary's Regiment Surrey Yeomanry "Honi soit qui mal y pense." On the other side was painted the crest of the navy, "Post tenebras Lux."
This was in 1944. We still have that box. A lovely memento of a meeting between two brothers of two different services.
|
R Cowie . British Army R Cowie served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
Richard Cowie . Royal Navy
|
Cpl. Albert Cowin . Royal Air Force 347 Squadron from Liverpool (d.28th Dec 1944) Albert Cowin left behind his wife, his one year old daughter and his son, who was born the day he died.
|
Spr. Percy Cowin . British Army 663 Artisan Works Company Royal Engineers (d.17th Jun 1940) Percy Cowin of 663 Artisan Works Company, Royal Engineers lost his life in the sinking of the Lancastria.
|
R Cowin . British Army R Cowin served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
C Cowing . British Army Kings Royal Rifle Corps C Cowing served with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: The Wartime Memories Project is no longer in contact with Dan , his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
|
|
