| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | AWM2019.22.259 |
| Collection number | 3DRL/3660 |
| Collection type | Digitised Collection |
| Record type | Item |
| Item count | 1 |
| Object type | Notebook |
| Physical description | 122 Image/s captured |
| Maker |
Cowan, Gerard Henderson Unknown |
| Place made | United Kingdom: England |
| Date made | c. 1917-1918 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Source credit to | This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government. |
Notebook of Gerard Henderson Cowan
Description
Notebook relating to the First World War service of Flying Officer Gerald Henderson Cowan, 6th Training Squadron, Australian Flying Corps.
This notebook was written by Gerard Henderson Cowan in 1917-1918 while he was in Signalling Training School, and later the Australian Flying Corps. It contains notes on Morse code, tips for good signalling, forms and how to use them, different roles within a signalling team and their duties, electricity, magnetism, telephones, map reading, and navigation using a compass. This notebook also contains diary entries that Cowan wrote between 24 September and 17 October 1918. In his entries, Cowan records experiences such as frequently being unable to fly due to poor weather, completing cross country flights, being complemented on a fancy landing, visiting an English family member, beginning at the School of Aerial Fighting, training on machine guns, and completing exams.
The back of notebook contains a portion of a short story and diary entries from 1938, both by an unknown writer.
Gerard Henderson Cowan succeeded in becoming a pilot and flew with the Australian Flying Corps in England and France. However, he died of illness on 22 February 1919.