The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (421128) Flight Sergeant Douglas John Rowan, No. 158 Squadron RAF, Second World War

Place Europe: Germany, Kassel
Accession Number PAFU2014/385.01
Collection type Film
Object type Last Post film
Physical description 16:9
Maker Australian War Memorial
Place made Australia: Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Campbell
Date made 6 October 2014
Access Open
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Description

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (421128) Flight Sergeant Douglas John Rowan, No. 158 Squadron RAF, Second World War.

Film order form
Speech transcript

421128 Flight Sergeant Douglas John Rowan, No. 158 Squadron RAF
KIA 3 October 1943
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 6 October 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Flight Sergeant Douglas John Rowan.

Douglas Rowan was the son of Lily and Alfred Rowan of Bathurst. Born on 14 August 1920, Douglas went to school at the Bathurst public school and high school. He left at a reasonably young age and went to work for the New South Wales government railway as a telephonist and junior porter. He played baseball and football, and was a keen marksman.

In 1939 at the age of 19 Rowan enlisted in the citizens’ militia and gave one years’ service, including a four-month training camp. He then enlisted in the Air Force Reserve. On 7 December 1941 a 21-year-old Rowan was accepted for service in the Royal Australian Air Force and began an extended period of training in Australia.

In January 1943 he was ready to leave Australia, and went to the United Kingdom for active service with the British Royal Air Force. After a short period of further training he was posted to No. 158 Squadron as an air gunner. This squadron flew Halifax bombers on night raids over Germany and occupied France. Rowan saw several months’ service with this squadron before the accident that would take his life.

On 3 October 1943 Flight Sergeant Douglas Rowan was one of a crew of seven manning a Halifax bomber for a raid on the German town of Kassel. The aircraft took off shortly after 6 pm and was never heard from again.

Investigations later revealed that the aircraft had crashed and three of the crew had been taken prisoner, including another Australian, Flight Sergeant Grey. Three others were found mentioned in captured German documents as having been killed in the crash and buried in a cemetery near Hamburg. There was no mention of Douglas Rowan.

After the war it was found that the grave the Germans recorded burying the three men in actually contained eight bodies. Still, none of the remains could be identified as Douglas Rowan. In 1950, after extensive investigations, it was ruled that he must have been killed in action on the night of the raid, but that there was no way of discovering his final fate or resting place. Flight Sergeant Douglas Rowan was 23 years old when he died.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with some 40,000 others from the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Flight Sergeant Douglas John Rowan, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

  • Video of The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (421128) Flight Sergeant Douglas John Rowan, No. 158 Squadron RAF, Second World War (video)