Flight Lieutenant Peter Duncan BOWEN (42481)
169 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Date of birth: 6th September 1920
Date of death: 13th February 1944

Killed on active service aged 23
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial Panel 201
He was born at Canterbury on the 6th of September 1920 the eldest son of the Reverend Canon Harry Duncan Storer Bowen and Gladys Beale (nee Pinyon) of The College, Ashford in Kent.

He was educated at Broadwater Manor School, Worthing and at the King's School Canterbury from September 1934 to December 1938 where he was in The Grange and was a scholar.

In 1939 he joined the Royal Air Force as a candidate for a short service commission and began his basic flight training at 13 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School at White Waltham on the 1st of May 1939. He was posted to 10 Flying Training School at Ternhill on the 9th of September 1939 on No. 14 Course, which he completed on the 27th of January 1940. He was promoted to probationary Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on the 1st of February 1940 and was confirmed in his rank on the 1st of May 1940. On the 8th of March 1940 he was posted to 12 Fighter Group Pool at Ashton Down, where he joined No. 9 Course.

On completion of his training, he was posted to 264 Squadron based at RAF Martlesham Heath on the 6th of April 1940. After conversion to Defiant aircraft he was posted to 504 Squadron, based at Debden on the 13th of April 1940 before being posted back to 264 Squadron at Duxford on the 22nd of May where he was attached to B Flight. The squadron was under the command of Squadron Leader Philip Hunter OKS. In July 1940 he was teamed up with Flight Lieutenant Clifford Ash flew on night patrols from RAF Duxford and later on patrols protecting east coast convoys from RAF Kirton-Lindsey. On the 5th of August 1940 he took off from RAF Sutton Bridge with five other aircraft for an air to air firing exercise. On the 20th of August 1940 the squadron received orders for a move to RAF Hornchurch and an advance party left the next day with the main party arriving there. Following the death in action of Philip Hunter OKS on the 26th of August 1940 command of the squadron passed to Squadron Leader Garvin.

At 5.05am on the 24th of August 1940, Peter Bowen took off from RAF Hornchurch in Defiant Mk 1 L7018 with his gunner, Pilot Officer S.C. Sutton, to patrol over RAF Manston to protect the rest of the squadron while they arrived there. They landed safely at 7.05am.

On the 28th of August 1940 the squadron was scrambled and ordered to patrol between Dover and Rochford to intercept an incoming enemy raid. Peter Bowen and his gunner, Pilot Officer Sutton, took off at 8.35am in Defiant Mk I L6963 and found themselves at the rear of the formation. One aircraft had returned to Southend with engine trouble by the time the squadron arrived over Canterbury at 10,000 feet where they spotted around forty enemy bombers and their escort which was estimated at eighty to one hundred fighters.
Sutton remembered: -

"Making a climbing turn to intercept we flew parallel with the enemy force at about 500 yards range, but the Hun did not seem to be keen to close the range. Flying with P/O. Bowen in L6963 in the tail-end position we could think of many other places we would rather be in, and when the Huns attacked, though we did damage a He III, it did seem as if all the enemy hate was directed at 'L6963'. As the attacks seemed to increase Ponky's voice penetrated above the din with, 'You know, old boy, I think we'll get out. All the others have gone'. At this point the pilot of a Me.109 realised, too late, that our aircraft was not a Hurricane, and as he tried to pull out of his dive I was able to get a good burst. Suddenly, there was a mighty thud and I was pushed up tight against the top of the turret. l heard the pilot say, 'Hit-Fire-Jump' but it was impossible to get out. 'Ponky' realised that I had not been able to get out and, in the face of many difficulties, managed to regain control and we were able to return to base L.6963 had 3 cannon shell and 120 bullet holes in her'

Following the clash with the enemy fighters Peter Bowen had found himself both on fire in an inverted spin but, realising that Sutton could not escape from the gun turret, he fought to regain control of his aircraft. When he had brought the aircraft under control and levelled out he was gratified to find that the rapid descent had extinguished the flames. They landed at 9.15am where Sutton claimed to have destroyed one Me109 as destroyed and two more as damaged.

The following day, with only three serviceable aircraft remaining, 264 Squadron was withdrawn to RAF Kirton-in Lindsey. Peter Bowen was posted to B Flight based at Luton in September 1940 and at the end of that month the squadron moved to RAF Southend. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 1st of February 1941.

At 9.50pm on the 9th of March 1941 he was taking off from Biggin Hill for a night patrol in Defiant Mk 1 N3332, with his gunner Pilot Officer Hill, when he struck Defiant Mk 1 N3378, piloted by Flying Officer James Melville with his gunner, Sergeant Butler, which had just landed and was taxiing down the flare path. Peter Bowen was seriously injured in the collision, while Pilot Officer Hill received a head injury which was not serious. All four men were taken to Orpington Hospital.

His father received the following telegram dated the 9th of March 1941: - "Regret to inform you that your son Pilot Officer Peter Duncan Bowen is reported seriously injured as the result of an air operation on 8th March 1941 and admitted to station sick quarters Biggin Hill. Letter follows. Any further information received will be immediately communicated to you. Suggest you contact hospital before visiting."

In a letter to the Air Ministry dated the 17th of March 1941, Group Captain F.O. Sogden. Officer Commanding Biggin Hill wrote: - 'have the honour to refer to No. 264 Squadron's signal A.78 dated 8.3.41 and in amplification thereof have to report that it would appear that Flying Officer Melville in Defiant N3478 on landing, instead of continuing to the perimeter track, switched off his navigation lights and returned down the runway, with the obvious intention of turning off on the connecting track in order to park is aircraft. Meanwhile Pilot Officer Bowen in Defiant N3332 was given a green and proceeded to take off and his machine collided with N3478 which was entirely hidden from view, due to the dip in the runway. The weather at the time was fine, with a fair amount of moonlight, but an aircraft without lights would be almost impossible to be seen against the black runway, and during the time in question there was considerable enemy activity overhead, with enemy aircraft constantly passing across the aerodrome at seemingly low heights. It is considered that a Court of Inquiry is necessary, but at the present time the two injured pilots are not in a fit state to be questioned, and in this connection, it is suggested that the investigation into this accident be deferred until such time as these pilots leave hospital.'

He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the 1st of February 1942. He was later posted to 169 Squadron Royal Air Force which, from the 20th of January 1944, was operating Mosquito Mk II night fighter aircraft from RAF Little Snoring under the command of Wing Commander T. A. Heath. They were part of 100 Bomb Group operating in a night intruder role targeting German night fighters by homing on their transmissions as well as attacking German airfields in advance of the bomber stream.

At 1.05pm on the 13th of February 1944 Peter Bowen and his navigator, Pilot Officer John Latimer Atkinson, took off from RAF Little Snoring in Mosquito Mk II DD629 VI-? for a training flight. Their aircraft was making a tight turn during gunnery practice when it crashed into the sea two miles off Burnham in Norfolk at 1.25pm killing both men.

He is commemorated on the war memorial at Ashford.

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