Leonard Arthur Townrow
Born 20 Aug 1920 - Died 24 Apr 1944
- Service number
- NZ415041 AWMM
- WWII 415041 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Last rank
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Leonard Arthur AWMM
- Surname
- Townrow AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- NZ415041 AWMM
- WWII 415041 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- Presbyterian, Christian AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 20 Aug 1920 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- —
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mrs R. Townrow (mother), C/o Public Trust, Dunedin, New Zealand AWMM
- WW2 Parents: Mr & Mrs W. H. Townrow of Otaki AWMM
- Relationship status
- Single/WWII AWMM
- Pre 1941 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Service number
- NZ415041 AWMM
- WWII 415041 AWMM
- Military service
- 1st Southland Regiment AWMM
- Royal New Zealand Air Force attached to Royal Canadian Air Force AWMM
- British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, No. 3 Service Flying Training School, Calgary, Alberta, Canada AWMM
Course 1: Class 2E SQ. Graduation Date: 24/04/1942. AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- Royal Air Force, No. 100 Squadron AWMM
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- —
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW2 1940 AWMM
Age 18 AWMM
Sales Person/Civilian AWMM - Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Vessel was Mariposa AWMM Leading Aircraftman/Military AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force, No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- WW2
27 May 1943 AWMM - WW2
- WW2 POW - Unknown Prisoner of War Camp AWMM
Friesland, Holland AWMM
- WW2
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
Critically wounded with internal Injuries 1943 AWMM - Killed or died while a Prisoner of War, Cause of Death AWMM
Died of injuries whilst a Prisoner of War AWMM - 24 Apr 1944 AWMM Other, WWII AWMM
Captured. AWMM
- Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Flight Sergeant/Military AWMM
- No. 1 Group, Bomber Command AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 100 Squadron AWMM
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Leonard Townrow was the son of Mr W.H. Townrow, the Schoolhouse, Outram, New Zealand.
He joined the army in 1940, but transferred to RNZAF in 1941.
Went to Canada on Empire Air Training Scheme.
Next of kin details compiled from information in the Casualty lists published in the newspapers.
Attended Dunedin Technical College (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845616))
484 hours as Pilot (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845616)) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 24 Apr 1944 AWMM
Age 24 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed or died while a Prisoner of War AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Leeuwarden Northern General Cemetery, Friesland, Netherlands AWMM Row 1. Grave 5. AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- Death Notice: Otago Daily Times AWMM
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Sources
- External links
- Papers Past. Digital New Zealand Newspapers.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast
Sources Used - Naval Casualties. Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 126, 24 November 1941, Page 9
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19411124.2.73&srpos
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2649304
Sources Used - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Sm- Ty. Archives New Zealand (R17845616)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845616
Sources Used - List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. Archives New Zealand (R17845744)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845744
Sources Used
- Papers Past. Digital New Zealand Newspapers.
- References
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- The Evening Post
- Chorley, W. (1996). Royal Air Force Bomber Command losses of the Second World War: Aircraft and crew losses 1943 (Vol. 4). Leicester, England: Midland Counties Publications.
Vol. 4 Aircraft and Crew Losses 1943. - Otago Daily Times
Death Notice - This record is a work in progress and was partially compiled from the “Database of New Zealand Airmen who took part in Advanced Air Training in Canada during WW2”. Researched by Ivan and Lorna Lindsey of Tauranga. N.Z. 2003 – 2012. Reproduced with permission.
- Information kindly provided by family
- Deaths While Prisoner of War - Navy, Army, Air Force and Civilians [WW2 NZ POW Deaths], Archives New Zealand, Wellington, AAAA 7393 Box 1 (R25405152).
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Sm- Ty. Archives New Zealand (R17845616) - Former archives reference: AIR118
- Please note that the 11 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions.
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [(New Zealanders Attached to R.A.F. [Royal Air Force]) (Officers), (Europe) - Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845744)
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762).
- Mason, W.W. (1954) Prisoners of war. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
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