Studio portrait of 415359 Warrant Officer (WO) John Rowe, 454 Squadron, of Geraldton, WA; a ...

Studio portrait of 415359 Warrant Officer (WO) John Rowe, 454 Squadron, of Geraldton, WA; a storeman at Burns Philp & Co, Geraldton, prior to enlisting in September 1941. He was promoted to Leading Aircraftman in December 1941. In November 1942 he arrived in England for further training and promotion to Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt). On 1 September 1943 Flt Sgt Rowe arrived in Egypt for service with 454 Squadron in the Middle East. On Christmas Day 1943 he was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer. WO Rowe was navigator on board Baltimore aircraft U/454 which left RAAF Base Berka III, Benghazi, Libya, on the morning of 27 February 1944 to conduct shipping reconnaisance along the coast of Western Greece. About 11am U/454 was damaged by an enemy fighter plane. By 1pm it was attempting to return to base but was lost at sea north of Benghazi. Extensive searches found no trace of WO Rowe or the other three crew members: 416940 Flying Officer AW Dawe (pilot); 416897 Flight Sergeant JA Siebert (Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner); 415370 Flight Sergeant RD Williams (Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner). WO Rowe was 22 years of age.