John Cowell (RAF airman)
Introduction '''John J. Cowell''',  (1889 – 30 July 1918) was an Irish soldier, airman and flying ace of the First World War. He was credited with sixteen aerial victories; fifteen of these were gained as an observer/gunner and one as a pilot, before he was killed in action.
Early life and background Cowell was born in Limerick, one of ten children of Michael and Kate Cowell.
First World War Cowell first served in the 12th Field Company of the Royal Engineers, where on 27 October 1916 Sapper (Acting Corporal) Cowell was awarded his first Military Medal.Cowell then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, joining No. 20 Squadron as an observer/gunner during Bloody April 1917.He manned the guns of a F.E.2d fighter for such other aces as Richard M. Trevethan, Cecil Roy Richards, Reginald Condon, and Oliver Vickers. Between 5 May and 28 July 1917, Cowell gained fifteen victories, destroying a German two-seater reconnaissance aircraft and five German fighters, and driving down nine more German fighters out of control. He was promoted to sergeant, and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, which was gazetted on 17 July 1917.His citation read:On 14 September 1917 Cowell received a Bar to his Military Medal. He then returned to the Home Establishment for flight training, rejoining No. 20 Squadron as a pilot in mid-1918.On 29 July 1918, while flying a Bristol F.2b, Cowell drove down a Fokker D.VII, his last, and only aerial victory as a pilot. He was killed in action the following day, shot down by Friedrich Ritter von Röth of ''Jasta 16''. Cowell is buried in Longuenesse Souvenir Cemetery, Saint-Omer, France.
List of aerial victories +Combat recordNo.Date/TimeAircraft/Serial No.Opponent Result Location Notes1  5 May 1917@ 1710  F.E.2d(A6400)  Albatros D.III  Out of control  Poelcapelle  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Reginald Conder2  13 May 1917@ 1040  F.E.2d(A6412)  Two-seater  Destroyed  Rekkem Airfield  Pilot: Second Lieutenant M. P. Scott3  20 May 1917@ 0920  F.E.2d(A6412)  Albatros D.III  Out of control  Menen  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Reginald Conder4  25 May 1917@ 0850  F.E.2d(A6415)  Albatros D.III  Out of control  Wervik  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Reginald Conder5  26 May 1917@ 1030  F.E.2d(A6415)  Albatros D.III  Out of control  Comines  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Reginald Conder6  26 May 1917@ 2010  F.E.2d(A6415)  Albatros D.III  Destroyed in flames  South-east of Ypres  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Reginald Conder7  2 June 1917@ 0945  F.E.2d(A6415)  Albatros D.III  Destroyed  Gheluvelt  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Richard M. Trevethan8  29 June 1917@ 1610  F.E.2d(A6376)  Albatros D.V  Out of control  Becelaère  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Oliver Vickers9  12 July 1917@ 1700–1715  F.E.2d(A6376)  Albatros D.V  Destroyed  East of Ploegsteert Wood  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Oliver Vickers10  Albatros D.V  Out of control11  17 July 1917@ 1945–1950  F.E.2d(A6468)  Albatros D.V  Destroyed in flames  Polygon Wood  Pilot: Lieutenant Cecil Richards12  Albatros D.V  Destroyed  28Q 2813  20 July 1917@ 0955  F.E.2d(A6376)  Albatros D.V  Out of control  Wervik  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Oliver Vickers14  22 July 1917@ 1650  F.E.2d(A6376)  Albatros D.V  Out of control  Menen—Wervik  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Oliver Vickers15  28 July 1917@ 1845  F.E.2d(A6376)  Albatros D.V  Out of control  East of Messines  Pilot: Second Lieutenant Oliver Vickers16  29 July 1918@ 2010  Bristol F.2b(E2471)  Fokker D.VII  Out of control  North-west of Wervicq  Observer: Corporal Charles William Hill
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