Robert Cowper

Robert Barson Cowper, (24 June 1922 – 19 June 2016) was a flying ace of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with at least six aerial victories.

From New South Wales, Cowper joined the RAAF in 1940. After completing his flight training the following year, he was sent to the United Kingdom to serve with the Royal Air Force. Cowper was posted to No. 153 Squadron, a night fighting unit, before going to the Middle East to serve with No. 89 Squadron and then No. 108 Squadron on Malta in 1943. He achieved his first aerial victories in the lead up to and during the Allied invasion of Sicily. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), he returned to the United Kingdom later in the year as an instructor. In May 1944 he returned to operational flying with a posting to No. 456 Squadron and during the invasion of Normandy, shot down several German aircraft. Awarded a bar to his DFC early in 1945, he finished the war as acting commander of the squadron.

Returning to civilian life, he worked for an engineering company and later took up farming. In 2004 he was also appointed a Chevalier (Knight) of the French Legion of Honour to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy. Prominent in veteran's affairs during his retirement, he was later a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia. He died in Adelaide, aged 93.

Early life Robert Barson Cowper was born in Broken Hill in New South Wales, Australia, on 24 June 1922. His father, William Cowper, was from London and had emigrated to Australia when he was 21. The Cowper family, which in addition to Cowper's parents also included three sisters, later moved to Kangaroo Flat in South Australia. Cowper was educated at Queen's College in North Adelaide and once he finished his schooling, he found employment as a draughtsman. In June 1940, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

After a period of time at No. 10 Operational Training Unit (OTU) in Scotland at RAF East Fortune, in November he was posted to the new No. 153 Squadron, equipped with Boulton Paul Defiants at Ballyhalbert in County Down, Northern Ireland. Training as a night fighting squadron, it became operational in December but in early 1942 began to re-equip with the twin-engined Bristol Beaufighter heavy fighter. It saw little action while performing its patrolling duties and by September was carrying out convoy patrols. By this time, Cowper had been promoted to flying officer.

In March, Cowper's detachment was integrated into No. 108 Squadron for the aerial defence of the Nile Delta. Cowper and Watson regularly flew patrols to the north of Tunisia before the squadron switched to intruder patrols to the Italian island of Sicily. On the night of 18 April, Cowper made his first claim, for a Messerschmitt Me 210 heavy fighter that was damaged over the town of Marsala. Following the Allied invasion of Sicily in July, the squadron flew cover for the landing beaches. Cowper destroyed a Junkers Ju 88 medium bomber on the night of 11 July but his Beaufighter was damaged by debris from the exploding Ju 88. He and his navigator baled out; the latter, flying in Watson's stead, was lost at sea while Cowper, suffering severe cuts and a broken nose, apparently was in free-fall for some time in a state of unconsciousness before awaking and opening his parachute. He was spotted and picked up by a hospital ship, HMHS Aba, after spending several hours in the water.

Later war service Promoted to flight lieutenant,

No. 456 Squadron began operating from RAF Bradwell Bay in March as bomber-support, a duty it performed until the end of the war in Europe. Cowper was the squadron's final commander, leading it from May until 15 June 1945 when it was disbanded. He ended the war credited with having destroyed six German aircraft and damaging one.

Later life Cowper returned to Australia with his wife, Katherine , who he had met during his time at Ballyhalbert and married in 1943 and their daughter. In civilian life, he worked for an engineering firm before taking up farming. In his retirement, he was an advocate for recognition of No. 456 Squadron's war service, as the RAAF's only night fighter squadron. His efforts saw its logo officially recognised as the squadron's badge. He died at Adelaide on 19 June 2016; his wife had predeceased him by three years and he was survived by two of his four daughters. One daughter married Peter Jolly, a noted Australian horse trainer.