The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (423196) Warrant Officer Ronald Arthur Dowe, No. 166 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Second World War.

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 Joanne Smedley, the story for this day was on (423196) Warrant Officer Ronald Arthur Dowe, No. 166 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Second World War.

423196 Warrant Officer Ronald Arthur Dowe, No. 166 Squadron, Royal Air Force
KIA 24 December 1944
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 8 January 2017

Today we pay tribute to Warrant Officer Ronald Arthur Dowe, who was killed on active service with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

Ronald Dowe was born on 7 May 1924 to Thomas Arthur Dowe and Edith Gwendoline Victoria Dowe of the Sydney suburb of Five Dock. He was 18 years old and had been working as an advertising clerk when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 20 June 1942.

Following his enlistment in the RAAF, Dowe began training as a navigator and soon embarked for overseas service. As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, he was one of almost 27,500 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, and engineers, who joined squadrons based in Britain throughout the course of the war.

After arriving in Britain, Dowe undertook further specialist training before being posted to No. 166 Squadron, Royal Air Force. As part of the RAF’s Bomber Command, this squadron was equipped with Vickers Wellington twin-engine medium bombers, and later four-engine Avro Lancaster heavy bombers. It was involved in many major raids, as well as laying mines in enemy waters and dropping supplies.

On 24 December 1944 the Lancaster in which Dowe was the navigator was participating in a daylight raid on the German city of Cologne when his aircraft was shot down. Dowe and five of his six crewmates – including fellow Australian Flight Sergeant Desmond O’Halloran – were killed. Their bodies are buried side by side in the British and Commonwealth War Cemetery in Rheinburg, Germany.

Ronald Dowe was 20 years old. His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among some 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Warrant Officer Ronald Arthur Dowe, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Dr Lachlan Grant
Military History Section