Richard Gerald Rowlands was born on 15 July 1917 in Mile End, South Australia. He was son of Robert William and Kathleen Rowlands, of Brooklyn Park, South Australia. He himself lived in Henley Beach and was an police constable in Brooklyn Park.

Richard enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 4 January 1941 in Adelaide. He became an pilot with 207 squadron, flying Wellington III bombers from Bottesford in Leicestershire. His crew consisted of

F/O Richard Rowlands
Sgt John Campbell Luton
Sgt Frederick Barnes
P/O Adam Hastings
Sgt Cecil Pattison
Sgt George Fleck
Sgt John Atkinson

207 Squadron

On 5 September 1942 they took off in Lancaster I R5755 - I - EM-N on a mission to the German city of Bremen. Their Lancaster was shot down and crashed into the IJsselmeer.

Sgt John Luton is buried in Stavoren. P/O Adam Hastings is buried in Lemmer. Sgt Frederick Barnes and Sgt John Atkinson are both buried at Bergen General Cemetery. Sgt Cecil Pattison and Sgt George Fleck are both missing and are commemorated at the Runnymede Memorial.

F/O Richard Rowlands is buried at Scharl General Cemetery

(picture by Wim Bastiaanse)

Scharl, The Netherlands

See also:
Sgt John Luton
Sgt Frederick Barnes
P/O Adam Hastings
Sgt Cecil Pattison
Sgt George Fleck
Sgt John Atkinson

Sources:
www.cwgc.gov
www.rafcommands.com
207 Squadron Website

Directions to Scharl General Cemetery

Posted 27 November 2005

If you have any suggestions, comments or additional information, please contact me.

This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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