Lieutenant Lowrie D.S.O

franciscan · 4 May 2006, 01:02 PM

imgpilot004 Correction Correction (200 x 127).jpg
Does anyone know anything about this officer?
This picture was given to me by the daughter of one of his mechanics after he died in the late 60`s.
The back of the picture has the following inscription:
Lieut Lowrie D.S.O in his B.E.2.C. 12 cylinder RAF engine. Sutton`s Farm Aerodrome, Hornchurch, Essex.
Is this perhaps the same `Hornchurch` as became famous in the Battle of Britain some 25 odd years later?

Graeme · 4 May 2006, 02:20 PM

franciscan

This is 2nd Lieutenant Frederick SOWREY who received the DSO for shooting down the airship L32 on the night of 23/24 September 1916 while flying BE2c 4112. Sowrey was a member of No 39 Home Defence Squadron, then based at Suttons Farm.

He later saw service with No 19 Squadron in France, claiming a further 12 victories and receiving the Military Cross. He was subsequently promoted Major and commanded No 143 Squadron on Home Defence duties; he also received the Air Force Cross (Gazetted on 1 January 1919).

Born on 25 August 1893, he died in Eastbourne on 21 October 1968.

Graeme

franciscan · 4 May 2006, 06:14 PM

Graeme
Many thanks for the input. Don`t understand why the name was not spelt correctly on the back.
Nice clear photo though showing the B.E.2 C.
Franciscan

Graeme · 5 May 2006, 10:01 AM

franciscan

Most likely the photograph was annotated some time after the event, so the exact details weren't fresh in the gentleman's memory. There's any number of photos "doing the rounds" with captions that are less than precise.

Graeme