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23183 W/Cdr Arthur Ernest "Lofty" Lowe Loft Lowe was the C.O. of 77 Sqd. from Dec 42 to Oct 43. Additional Information: | Arthur Ernest Lowe (42966) was born in 1914. At the age of 16 he became an RAF apprentice at Halton and then trained as a Wireless Operator Mechanic at Cranwell. He became an air gunner with No. 208 Squadron in 1936. At the outbreak of war he was a Corporal with 77 Squadron and flew on several early raids in Whitleys. After completing his 1st Tour he served in several training posts and rose to the rank of Squadron Leader within 2 years. He was popularly known as either "Lapper" or "Lofty" Lowe. He was granted a commission in the RAF as P/O on probation on 17th January 1940, rising to F/O (War subs) on 17th January 1941 and to F/Lt (war subs) on 17th January 1942. He was appointed to an MBE on 1st January 1942. He was later granted the rank of F/Lt on 10th March 1943 but around this time was already serving as Acting W/Co and was the Commanding Officer of 77 Squadron when a flak incident in April (below) occurred. In December 1942 he was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander and became the first Air Gunner to command an RAF Squadron. After completing his 2nd Tour of operations in September 1943, he was awarded a DFC in 1943. He was posted to the Central Gunnery School. In 1945 he attended an RAF Staff College Course and remained in the RAF after the war as an administrator, becoming a Group Captain in 1956. He was appointed a CBE in 1961, and died in February 2003.
Halifax JB863 damaged by flak, returned to Elvington airfield.
On the night of 14th / 15th April 1943 the crew of this aircraft were undertaking an operational flight to bomb Stuttgart and took from Elvington at 21.22hrs. They bombed the target area from 15.000ft but around 20 miles north of the target the aircraft was damaged in the fuselade by heavy flak. They were able to make a safe return to base and landed at Elvington at 04.41hrs. (This aircraft would crash near Heslington a couple of months later with the loss of its then crew.) E M Fowler
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