Remembering World War II

Name: Harold Ernest Jowett Rank: Flight Sergeant Service Number: R/64869 Service: No. 11 Operational Training Unit (RAF), Royal Canadian Air Force Date of Birth: December 26, 1921 Place of Birth: River Hebert, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: August 12, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Moncton, New Brunswick Age of Enlistment: 19 Address at Enlistment: River Hebert, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia Height: 5 feet, 7 ½ inches Complexion: Fair Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Brown Occupation: Truck Driver Marital Status: Single Religion: Protestant, United Church Next of Kin: Aletta Jowett (Mother) Date of Death: February 10, 1942 Age: 20 Cemetery: Bassingbourn Cum Kneesworth Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, England Grave: Row FF, Grave 13 Commemorated on Page 85 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 24 Harold Ernest Jowett was the son of Alfred Rayner Jowett (1895-1944) and Maud Aletta (Wood) Jowett (1895-1977), of River Hebert, Cumberland Co., Nova Scotia, and the brother of Muriel Eleanor Jowett (1919- 2015), Ronald Eugene Jowett (1923-2014), and Dorothy Ada Jowett (1925-2015). Harold’s father was born in Leeds, England and worked as a baker and merchant in River Hebert. His mother was born in River Hebert. Harold’s brother Ronald served in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve during WWII. Harold hobbies included hunting, and he enjoyed hockey, baseball and volleyball and was employed as a truck driver from 1936-1940 for his father’s business. He completed high school in River Hebert, NS. After his enlistment in 1940, his initial training took place at the No. 2 Initial Training School in Regina, Saskatchewan. From February 3 to March 28, 1941, he continued training in Regina at the No. 3 Air Observers School (3 AOS) and completed armament training at the No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School in Macdonald, Manitoba from March 28 to June 8, 1941. He then completed advanced air observers training at the No. 1 Air Navigation School (1 ANS) in Rivers, Manitoba from June 8 to July 8, 1941. Harold transferred to Halifax in July 1941, for his departure from Canada to the United Kingdom. Harold served and trained with Course 42, No. 11 Operational Training Unit (OTU) in England. 11 OTU was temporarily based at RAF Tempsford in Bedfordshire, England from December 1941 until February 1942. The unit’s motto was ‘Arm Well Aim Well.’ Harold was the Air Observer aboard Wellington IC X9905, flying from RAF Steeple Morden in Royston, Hertfordshire, England on Tuesday, February 10, 1942, when it crashed at the Harrow Green School in Corn Way, Leytonstone in London after becoming lost during a night cross-country exercise. Five civil defence ARP (Air Raid Precaution) rescue staff volunteers, based in the building where the aircraft crashed, were also killed. The ARP Depot was in the same building as the school. In addition to Harold, the crew killed were: Sergeant Arthur James Foote (Service No. 407557), Royal Australian Air Force Interred at the Bassingbourn Cum Kneesworth Cemetery, Row EE, Grave 11 Sergeant Arthur Wilfred Ford (Service No. 1310041) Wireless Operator, Royal Air Force Interred at the Bassingbourn Cum Kneesworth Cemetery, Row EE, Grave 9 Sergeant William Mance (Service No. 1265410) Pilot, Royal Air Force Interred at the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Section 21, Row B, Grave 2 Sergeant Allen Charles Elliott Rogers (Service No. 964849) Wireless Operator, Royal Air Force Interred at the Bassingbourn Cum Kneesworth Cemetery, Row EE, Grave 10 Sergeant John Sharrock Taylor (Service No. 1024292), Pilot, Royal Air Force Interred at the Haigh (St. David) Churchyard, Grave 340 The Civil Defence staff/ ARP rescue service civilians killed were: Henry Arthur Edwards, age 46, husband of Florence Edwards, of 37 Holloway Rd, Leytonstone. Joseph George Smith, age 34, husband of Louisa Smith, of 33 Avenue Rd, Leytonstone. James Edwin Goreham, age 37, son of the late James Ernest (injured at this address and died later that day on the September 17, 1940, at Whipps Hospital) and Hannah Gorham, of 78 Woodhouse Rd, Leytonstone, husband of Elsie Kate Gorham of 49 Beechcroft, Leytonstone. Walter George Black, age 21, son of Frederick James and Ivy Gladys Vera Black, of 26 Nutfield Rd, Leytonstone. Albert Edward Stanion, age 29, son of E.L. Stanion, of 55 Addison Rd, Wanstead, London and of the late Thomas Stanion. They are all Interred at the Leyton Municipal Cemetery. A Blue Plaque honoring the crew and civilian defence volunteers was erected by the Waltham Forest Heritage Group on buildings where the school once stood. Harold was interred at the Bassingbourn Cum Kneesworth Cemetery in Cambridgeshire, England.

Harold Ernest Jowett

Sources: The National Archives, Kew, UK (reference TNA AIR29/644) findagrave Canadian Virtual War Memorial aircrewremembered