Robert Henry Cowley
Robert Henry Cowley
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Robert Henry Cowley, born August 27th, 1915 was a pilot in the RCAF. (Royal Canadian Air Force) and spent 2 years in this occupation. Born in Bristol, Quebec, Robert was raised by his Mother and Father, John and Edna Cowley. He was the brother of Bill Cowley, an all star hockey pro. He also belonged to the Church of England. He and his family moved from Quebec to Ottawa, where Robert would complete his education, going to Cambridge for Primary and Glebe Collegiate for High school. He spent 5 years in Queens University to get a Bachelors Degree in Arts. He had knowledge of Chemistry, which was a useful asset for the RCAF. Robert moderately played hockey, football, and baseball. In 1941, at the age of 26, Robert enlisted in the RCAF.
At 5' 7" and 150 pounds, Robert passed the medical examination with flying colours. Having experience in military service, ( Part of the CCTC and NPAM). NPAM was an artillery unit, and CCTC was a medical training unit. Robert was an obvious choice. His interviewer described him as medium build in physique and carriage, dressed neat and conservatively, was confident with clear speech, and quick response in an alert, confident, and sincere manner. He was ranked above average and best fitted for pilot- observer.
On July 19, 1943, Robert was declared M.I.A (Missing In Action) and later that day was presumed K.I.A (Killed In Action). The official notice of death stated that the crew of Halifax Aircraft #DK 131, of which Robert was serving on, had been towing gliders to Sicily and landed in Ras el Ma Airfield, Morocco, Spain. The Halifax then departed from Ras el Ma and the crew was never heard from again. Sergeant Cowley has no known grave, however his name is inscribed on the Runnymede War Memorial in Surrey, England
Every sacrifice made by the soldiers of the Second World War means a lot to Canada.The proof in this is the names inscribed in monuments and memorials, the proper burials given to the dead during such trying times, and the arrangements made to honour those like Robert whose bodies were never recovered. Robert’s individual contribution and sacrifice means a lot. He had just finished towing a glider from Sicily, a glider being a small fragile aircraft filled with soldiers, before he and his crew went MIA. Even towards the end, Robert served his duty and played a key role in Canada, and his sacrifice will be remembered.
Cette photo a été prise pour l’équipe de hockey senior pour les garçons en 1934-1935. Dans la yearbook à la page 76, vous trouvez la photo de l'équipe. C’est pertinent car c’était quand il était encore dans l'école.
Robert Henry Cowley
Robert Henry Cowley
Robert Henry Cowley, né au Québec le 27 août 1915, était un pilote dans le RCAF. Il est le fils de John Augustus Ellis Cowley et Edna Jane Bennett. Il avait un frère, Bill Cowley, un joueur de hockey pro. Sa famille a déménagé du Québec à Ottawa et ont commencé à vivre à son adresse courante, 220 Powell Ave. Il a développé une passion pour la chimie et a poursuive à l'université. Son interviewer pour le RCAF la décrit comme quelqu'un confiant, bien rangé, d'alerte et sincère. Au temps, il avait 5’7 ½, les yeux bleus avec les cheveux bruns et sa couleur de peau était moyenne.
Robert s’est inscrit dans l’Aviation royale canadienne le 24 novembre 1941. Avant l'enrôlement, Robert a travaillé comme chimiste pendant 11 mois. Il avait d’expérience militaire avant d'être inscrit dans le corps des officiers (COTC), et un détachement de milice (NPAM). Sa connaissance de la chimie lui a aussi fait un excellent candidat pour l'armée. Durant son temps dans l'armée, Robert a reçu plusieurs prix pour ces efforts. Il a reçu l’étoile de 39-45 et l’étoile d’Italie. Il a été décoré de la médaille de guerre et un prix du bénévolat (CVSM).
220 Powell Avenue Ottawa, la maison où il a grandi. Source: Zolo
Robert était parti pour l’Angleterre le 26 janvier 1943. Il effectue ensuite plusieurs missions comme un pilote. Il est déclaré disparu le 19 juillet 1943, lors d’un vol entre Ras El Ma, au Maroc et le Royaume-Uni. Il venait de déposer des troupes en Sicile, qui combattaient avec la campagne d'Italie. Le RCAF a annoncé qu’il était mort le 12 septembre 1943. Il a été commémoré avec une plaque sur le mémorial de Runnymede, dans le Surrey, au Royaume-Uni.
Gauche: Article de journal du Globe and Mail du 13 septembre 1943. Robert Cowley est déclaré disparu.
Centre: Roberts Cowley est commémorer sur un plaque avec 21 autres homme sur le mémorial de Runnymede.
Droit: Article de journal du Globe and Mail du 7 juillet 1944. Robert Cowley, précédemment déclaré disparu, est présumé mort.
Newspaper Clipping – Flight Sergeant ROBERT HENRY COWLEY was listed as missing on active service after air operations overseas, in the R.C.A.F. 678th Casualty List published in the Globe and Mail on September 13, 1943
Newspaper Clipping – Flight Sergeant ROBERT HENRY COWLEY was declared Previously Missing, Now Officially Presumed Dead, in the Department of National Defense for Air Casualty List 928 of the Royal Canadian Air Force, published in the Globe and Mail on July 7, 1944.
Memorial – Flight Sergeant ROBERT HENRY COWLEY is one of 21 men commemorated on this plaque, placed, In Loving Memory of the Men of St Lukes Parish who gave their lives in the World War II, in St Luke’s Anglican Church, Ottawa, Ontario. He went missing on active service after air operations overseas on July 19, 1943. He has no known grave and is commemorated by name on the RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL, Surrey, United Kingdom.
Works Cited
Robert Henry Cowley- The Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Veterans Affairs Canada, https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1085111?Robert%20Henry%20Cowley Accessed 1 November 2023.
“Second World War Service Files – War Dead, 1939 to 1947.” Collection Search, http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=kia&id=7556&lang=eng . Accessed 26 October 2023.
The biographies appearing on this website have been written by students, roughly the same age as the soldiers they are studying, using primary source evidence from Library and Archives Canada, in addition to primary source documents from The Virtual War Memorial on veterans.ca. We welcome any corrections or additions you may have to these biographies.
'If we do preserve it, we honour them, and when we in our turn pass on, we will know that behind us lives a generation of free men and of free women to be the keepers of this great heritage of ours - Canada.'
- Ian A. McPhee, former student at GCI, 1937.
Glebe Collegiate Institute
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
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