Victor Lowden

Sub-lieutenant Victor Soutar Lowden DSC (13 September 1923 – 13 June 1998) was a Scottish businessman and Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm fighter pilot during World War II. On 15 August 1945 he flew as fighter escort with one of the last Allied bombing raids on Tokyo Bay, subsequently participating in the last dogfight of the war, for which he was honoured.

Early life Victor Lowden was born in Bangkok where his father was working as an accountant.

Naval career Lowden joined the Fleet Air Arm in July 1942 and completed his basic flying training at RAF Sealand and RCAF Station Kingston in Canada. Whilst training at RNAS Henstridge Lowden came to the attention of Commander R Mike Crosley who described him as a 'natural'. He started flying the Supermarine Seafire in August 1943 and joined 899 Naval Air Squadron in Northern Ireland before embarking on . Eight Supermarine Seafires were tasked with escorting six Grumman TBF Avengers to the target. Hockley's radio failed and his Seafire hit instantly; taking to his parachute he was captured by the Japanese and executed.

Businessman After the war, Lowden returned to Scotland and joined the graduate programme at Low and Bonar, the Dundee based textile and electronics group. He became chief executive of the company's textile division with responsibility for all their textile units worldwide. Lowden was also a former chairman of the Dundee Jute and Linen Merchants' Association.