Father: Frederick Charles Rowley, a Builder and Contractor, (d. 1925), Mother: Amy Elizabeth [Reeve] (d. 1935) Youngest of 3 brothers; 4 sisters Ed. Tottenham Grammar School
He had a nasty moment in 1927: "WOMAN IN BLACK Motor-Cyclist's Night Shock. Pedestrian Seriously Injured. Percy William Rowley, carpenter, 7, Willoughby Road, Hornsey, London, was motor-cycling from Birmingham to London, and when near the Tilsworth turn he met a motor car with brilliant headlights. After passing the car he was plunged into darkness, but could just distinguish a black object moving about the road: this proved to be an elderly woman, named Caroline Rimington, late of 9, Salisbury street, Chester, who, it afterwards transpired, was walking from Chester to - London. dressed in black and wearing a shawl. As soon as Mr. Rowley saw her he swerved to get clear but, apparently, his handlebar caught in the shawl, and he was thrown off his machine into the road, dragging the woman with him. Another motor car came up and took both the motor-cyclist and the woman to Dr. Fraser, at Dunstable, and after being attended to, the woman was conveyed to the Bute Hospital. Luton, suffering from a fracture of the left forearm, a lacerated wound on the left leg and a bad wound over the left eye. She is 54 years of age, and, at present, has no fixed address. The motor-cyclist received slight injury to his head and left hand. The handlebars, foot rest and wheels of his machine were damaged"
RAeC Certificate 14465 dated 10 Oct 1936, taken at London Aeroplane Club Address in 1936: 38 Manor Hall Ave, Hendon NW4
m. Helen M [Walser] prev. Builder and Contractor (Rowley Bros. Tower Works, Tottenham, London) prev. exp. 85 hrs Address in 1941: Thorley Hall, Bishop's Stortford, Herts
Thorley Hall is "not only one of the oldest buildings in Hertfordshire but one of the most architecturally intriguing" Postings: 6FPP, EFTS (as Instructor) Class 5 (4-engine) pilot
7 accidents, 4 his fault: - 29 Apr 1941, he taxied his DH 60G Moth G-AAHG into a stick which was marking unserviceable ground - 4 Oct 1941, his Spitfire AD364 nosed over, after he taxied into a soft patch under the directions of ground crew - 2 Nov 1941, he overshot the landing in Spitfire AD413, ran into soft ground and nosed over (again) - 11 Apr 1942, an undercarriage leg of his Spitfire Vc BL696 was torn off after he landed in unmarked soft ground - 16 Jun 1942, he failed to control the take-off swing of Wellington Z1422 and the wing hit an obstruction - 7 Nov 1942, he undershot the landing in Spitfire ER947 in poor visibility and struck a heap of rubble Off sick from 16 Nov 1942 to 20 Jan 1943 with "post accident debility" - 19 Dec 1943, the tail wheel of his Swordfish NE943 ran into an unmarked rut
"A pleasant type of officer, who works hard and well. A keen and reliable pilot" "Keen, hardworking, cheerful & willing at all times to help with any work whatsoever ... he is a great asset to the Station"
Address in 1971: 10 Frinton Court, Frinton-on-Sea d. 1 Jul 1971 - Frinton-on-Sea, Essex Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file): |
ATA
1936
