Newspaper photo
The Shields Daily News 23/03/1945 reports:
“North Shields R.A.F. Sergeant missing.
Mrs. F. Cowell, of 48 Front Street, Chirston, North Shields, has received a notification from the Air Ministry that her elder son, Flight Sergeant Frederick Cowell, aged 20, has been reported missing after operational flight over Germany.
A native of North Shields, Flight Sergeant Cowell was educated at the Ralph Gardner Senior School, and was employed as a motor van driver by Messrs. Welch and Son, manufacturing confectioners, West Chirton, before he joined the R.A.F. 18 months ago.”
The Shields Daily News 28/08/1946 reports:
“Shields Mother Told of Airman Son’s Grave.
Reported missing 17 months ago after an operational flight over Germany, Fliught Sergeant Cowell is now known to have been killed.
Particulars of his grave at Voerde have been sent to his mother, Mrs. E.A. Cowell, of 21 Lilburn Street, Chirton, North Shields. The details were found as a result of special investigations by the R.A.F. Missing Research and Inquiry Services.”
Sgt. Cowell was serving with 78 Squadron. He was a crew member of Halifax III NA167 EY-F which took off from Breighton on a mission to Wanne-Eickel to bomb an oil refinery. 4 crew members were killed, three were taken prisoner.
Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: 1945; W.R. Chorley; 1998; Midland Counties Publications; ISBN 0 904597 92 X.
Tony Hibberd has provided the following:
Halifax NA167 EY-F had departed Breighton at 2026 for Ops Wanne-Eickel
It was probably intercepted S of Bocholt by a Night-Fighter captained by Oblt Hans Breithaupt (III/NJG2) and shot down at 2345 for his 1st Abschuss
Frederick Cowell is remembered in North Shields on N34.10