John Dowding was born on October 26, 1925, the son of Ivan Louis Dowding and Rhea Jean (nee Krohn) Dowding, of 162 John Street, Sarnia. John had one brother, Harry James Dowding, born September 27, 1921, who would enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force in March 1941. Older brother Harry would receive his wings at Camp Borden in December 1941. In December of 1942, Harry was promoted while overseas from Sergeant-Pilot to the rank of Pilot Officer.

John’s brother, Flying Officer Harry Dowding would make a name for himself as a pilot of a Canadian Spitfire wing, a member of the famous Wolf Squadron of the R.C.A.F. In April 1943, parents Ivan and Rhea in Sarnia would receive a clipping from an English newspaper telling of the part their son, Pilot Officer Harry Dowding, played in an air attack over France sometime during the middle of March 1943. The clipping stated that, two Royal Canadian Air Force Spitfire pilots, attacked and banished a Nazi freight engine during a low level sweep across France the previous week. Pilot Officer Edward Gimbel of Chicago, and Pilot Officer H. Dowding of Sarnia, were the fliers. They made two runs over the engine. The engine was stopped at the first attack. In May 1943, Harry Dowding was credited with the destruction of a German Messerschmitt while on fighter escort duty over France during a bombing raid in the Meaulte district. In August 1943, Harry’s group destroyed three German fighters and badly damaged another in sweeps over France and Holland. In this encounter, Harry and a pilot from Windsor were credited with getting one fighter. In September 1943, Harry Dowding destroyed his fourth enemy plane when he closed to within 200 feet of a German fighter and sent it down in flames with one short burst. He was one of three Canadian fighter pilots who each shot down a German plane while flying as escorts for medium bombers attacking the railway yards at Abbeville, France.

In late October 1943, John’s older brother Flying Officer Harry Dowding was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his many exploits. The citation read, This pilot has at all times displayed the utmost keenness to engage the enemy, and has destroyed three enemy aircraft, as well as sharing in the destruction of two others and damaging two more. On escort duty, in a period of five days, he recently succeeded in destroying two enemy aircraft and damaging another. His flying skill and fighting spirit have at all times been of the highest order. In June 1944, Harry Dowding would make headlines again – he was believed to have been the first Allied airman to make a “both wheels down” landing on an emergency strip established on the French invasion area on June 7th, one day after D-Day. Harry had come down after beachhead flak had punctured his gas tank and gas was spraying into his cockpit. His flying companion, Flt. Lt. G. Keltie of Edmonton, “beat up” the strip a few times to warn persons on it that an aircraft was coming in. Everyone cleared off but a French farmer who was pitching hay. When Harry Dowding landed, he ran smack into a load of hay in a wagon drawn by horses. Both the plane and wagon were wrecked; both Harry Dowding and his partner escaped unhurt. Harry Dowding would return to England by boat. Officials later expressed their belief that the farmer had intentionally driven his hay wagon into the line of the landing plane, endangering the lives of both fliers, as the farmer and his whole family were found to have collaborated with the Germans.

For younger brother John Dowding, in the shadow of his older brother Harry who had a distinguished career with a fighter squadron of the R.C.A.F., his story would be quite different. As a young child in elementary school, John Dowding had won an award for successfully attaining the highest percentage on the essay “Fire Prevention Week”. He was recognized in the Canadian Observer newspaper and was presented with a suit of clothes from Walker Brothers Store on Mitton Street. He was a member of the Young Men’s Usher Club of St. Andrew’s Church. Prior to enlisting, John was employed in the laboratory of the Imperial Oil Limited. John enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in August 1943, when the Mobile Recruiting Unit from London visited Sarnia. John was just 17 years old, and lied about his age to get into the war. He trained at Number 4 I.T.S. Edmonton, Alberta, then Saskatoon where he received his wings as an Air-Gunner. He continued his training at Number 3 Bombing and Gunnery School at MacDonald, Manitoba where he received his commission. John Dowding would go overseas in July 1944, where he completed his operational training. He would become a member of RCAF #19 Operational Training Unit, attaining the rank of Pilot Officer Air Gunner. In late July 1944, John Dowding was serving in England, and would enjoy a weekend leave together with his brother Harry, who was stationed in France. The meeting in England was the brothers’ first meeting since John arrived in England. Harry Dowding would relate this story, and others, when he addressed the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Men’s Club in Sarnia in November 1944, one month after John’s death.

On the evening of October 17, 1944, just over one year after enlisting, John Dowding was a part of a crew aboard a Whitely aircraft AD685. The Whitely was engaged in a cross-country training flight when the aircraft disintegrated in the air and crashed at Slinglby Hill Farm, East Murton, County Durham, England. The reason for the crash was unknown. Perishing with John Dowding were P/O A.L. Sunstrum; F/O.s K. Reed and W.D. Wall; Sgt. L.J. Olmstead; and one of the crew, not Canadian. Approximately one week later, parents Ivan and Rhea in Sarnia would receive a telegram from Ottawa informing them that their son, Pilot Officer Jack Dowding had been killed on active service overseas on October 17. No other details were given, but the message stated that a letter with information would follow. John “Jack” Dowding would later be officially listed as, Killed in flying accident, overseas (England).

The funeral for John Dowding was held at Harrogate Cemetery, Yorkshire, England on October 23, 1944, with full service honours and military officers present; however, his family could not attend. A memorial service, conducted by the Rev. J.M. Macgillivray for Pilot Officer John Dowding was held on October 23, 1944 in St. Andrew’s Church, Sarnia at the same hour as the burial service was taking place in Harrogate, England. In early November 1944, brother Harry Dowding would return home to Sarnia to spend a 30-day leave with his grieving parents. Three years after his death, a memorial service for John Dowding was held on Sunday, December 1, 1947 at St. Andrew’s Church in Sarnia, conducted by Reverend J.M. Margillivray. Eighteen year-old John Dowding is buried in Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire, United Kingdom, Section G. Row A. Grave 8. On John “Jack” Dowding’s headstone are inscribed the words, He challenged those who would destroy the innocent and the way of life he loved so well.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, M, N, R, 2B, 2C, 2D