They made the Ultimate Sacrifice

 

Gordon John Rowe

 

Able Seaman, Quarter Rating 3rd Class, V27479, RCNVR

 

Born: 23 Aug 1920, Toronto, York Co., Ontario

 

Died: 06 Aug 1944 at sea

 

Book of Remembrance

 

ROWE, Gordon John, AB, V27479, Killed - 06 Aug 1944, HMCS HAIDA - Son of Arthur and Grace Rowe, of Toronto, ON.

 

Able Seaman G. J. Rowe was killed in action against German naval forces while serving in HMCS HAIDA. He is buried at the Western Mill Cemetery, Plymouth, England.

 

Able Seaman Gordon Rowe, 24, gunner aboard the Canadian destroyer Haida, has been killed in action, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Rowe, Frizzell Ave. No details were given, but it is thought by his parents that he was one of four casualties, two dead and two wounded, suffered by the Haida when she intercepted and routed two German convoys, which tried recently to escape from Lorient and St. Nazaire. Rowe enlisted in October, 1941, and after training at H.M.C.S. Ingonish on the west coast, went to sea on Christmas Day, 1941. He had been on the Haida about a year. Two brothers are at sea, L.S. William Rowe, on a destroyer, and Leading Stkr. Kenneth Rowe, serving on a corvette. A.S. Rowe was born in Toronto and educated at Earl Grey public school and Danforth Tech. He attended Riverdale Presbyterian church.

 

At the time of his death, Gordon brother, Kenneth S. Rowe, was serving as a L/Stoker, RCNVR at HMCS STADACONA and his brother William A. Rowe was as a LS serving in HMCS KOOTENAY

 

Ships served in:

HMCS YORK - Enlisted 16 Jun 1941. Commenced Active Service 01 Oct 1941

HMCS PRINCE ROBERT - Served in PRINCE ROBERT 05 Feb 1942 - 11 Feb 1942 while in training at HMCS NADEN

HMCS INGONISH - Served in INGONISH 06 May 1942 - 24 Sep 1942 as an OS, RCNVR

ML Q070 - Served in Q070 09 Jan 1943 - 07 May 1943 as an AB, RCNVR

HMCS HAIDA - Drafted to HAIDA 30 Aug 1943 as an AB, RCNVR

 

GR01

GR02

GR03

GR04

GR05

(GR01-GR02) Certificate of Service - pages 1 and 2  (GR03) Report of Death  (GR04) Letter to AB Rowe's mother  (GR05) Article on the death of AB Rowe

 

GR06

(GR06) Write-up by LCdr (SB) W. Sclater, RCNVR on HMCS HAIDA'S casualties on 06 Aug 1944

 


 

Second World War Casualty Index

 

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