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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
KOWBEL, Morris, 4648, AB AA II, RCN, MPK - 21 Aug 1944, HMCS ALBERNI - Son of Anton J. and Maria Kowbel, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
AB Kowbel died when his ship, HMCS ALBERNI, was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel on 21 Aug 1944 by U-480, southeast of the Isle of Wight. Fifty-nine of her ship's company lost their lives.
Morris was born at Vonda and was working as a labourer at a casket factory at Listowel, Ontario, when he enlisted at London in 1941. He was Mentioned in Despatches 1945-06-14. Brother of H. Kowbel. They were the sons of Anton Jacob (Jake) and Maria Kowbel who homesteaded NE34-39-1-W3 southeast of Smuts, later moving to a farm at Blucher and eventually retiring to Saskatoon.
Citation for Mentioned in Despatches:
KOWBEL, Morris, Able Seaman Anti-Aircraft Rating 2nd Class, 4648, Posthumous Mention in Despatches, RCN, HMCS ALBERNI - Awarded as per London Gazette of 14 June 1945 (no Canada Gazette).
"This rating displayed courage, resolution and skill in the successful shooting down of an enemy torpedo bomber in July, 1944. In this, and previous engagements against enemy aircraft, all guns were fired with 100% efficiency. Able Seaman Kowbel, who was the senior Anti-Aircraft rating borne in HMCS ALBERNI and was responsible to the Gunnery Officer for the maintenance and efficient operation of all the ship's Anti- Aircraft weapons, lost his life at the time of the destruction of this ship."
Ships served in: LONDON DIVISION RCNVR (For HMCS STADACONA) - Enlisted 16 Jul 1941 as an Ordinary Seaman, RCN HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 08 Oct 1941 HMCS PRINCE DAVID - Drafted to PRINCE DAVID 08 Dec 1941 HMCS NADEN - Drafted to NADEN 26 Feb 1942 HMCS DUNDAS - Drafted to DUNDAS 10 Apr 1942 * Rated Able Seaman, RCN 16 Jul 1942 HMCS NADEN - Drafted to NADEN 25 Jul 1942 HMCS CORNWALLIS - Drafted to CORNWALLIS 17 Aug 1942 * Rated Anti-Aircraft Rating 3rd Class 17 Sep 1942 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 02 Oct 1942 HMCS NIOBE - Drafted to NIOBE 28 Oct 1942 HMCS LUNENBURG - Drafted to LUNENBURG 09 Nov 1942 HMCS NIOBE - Drafted to NIOBE 29 Apr 1943 HMS EXCELLENT - Drafted to EXCELLENT 14 May 1943 HMCS NIOBE - Drafted to NIOBE 18 Jun 1943 HMCS LUNENBURG - Drafted to LUNENBURG 26 Jul 1943 * Rated Anti-Aircraft Rating 2nd Class 30 Dec 1943 HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 18 Jan 1944 HMCS ALBERNI - Drafted to ALBERNI 26 Jan 1944
(JK01) AB John Kowbel (JK02) Documents from the Service File of John Kowbel
Second World War Casualty Index
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