LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Ralph Kell DOWSE
Service No: 404136
Born: Toowoomba QLD, 15 January 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 24 May 1940
Unit: No. 70 operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 70 Operational Training Unit Blenheim aircraft L8481), Egypt, 21 May 1941, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Ismailia War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur Llantiff Dowse and Lilian Maud Dowse, of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Toowoomba QLD
Remembered: Panel 121, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the 21 May 1941, Blenheim L8481 crashed near the bombing target at Ismailia, Egypt, and Sergeant Dowse was killed. The crash was due to a spin to port assisted by failure of the port engine with the undercarriage and flaps not fully retracted. It was considered that the Pilot had tried his best under the circumstances.
The crew members of L8481 were:
Sergeant Ralph Kell Dowse (404136) (Observer)
Sergeant Kenneth Isaac Duffin (402085) (Wireless Air Gunner) Killed on Air Operations: 20 October 1941
Sergeant F J Lucie (565782) (RAF) (Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/103/86