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Francis Hugh Vowles (born Rugby 18 September 1911 died Gloucester 2 May 1990) attended Cheltenham College, obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London External System in 1937, and trained as a lawyer under his uncle Henry Hayes Vowles (junior) of H.H.Vowles and Company, Gloucester. In 1943, Francis Vowles trained to become a Pilot Officer with the RAF at the 13th Initial Training Wing (C Flight, No. 3 Squadron) which was possibly based at the Toorak Hotel, Torquay. From 17โ€“31 September 1943, he was at the 4 EFTS Brough, Yorkshire. Between 31 September 1943 and 27 November 1943, he travelled to Canada. There he was taught trainee pilots to fly the de Havilland Tiger Moth. He was based at the 35 EFTS at Neepawa from 27 September 1943 to 11 March 1944. From 11 March 1944 to 20 October 1944, he was based at the 17 Service Flying Training School, Souris, Manitoba. In Souris, he flew Anson II planes. From 9 April 1945 to 8 August 1945, he was based at the No 1333 Transport Support Conversion Unit, Leicester East. Here he flew Oxford and Dakota planes and undertook "radar flights". Stonehouse church sunday school certificate of merit awarded to Eleanor Biss instead of a prize, the value of which she has presented to the Belgian refugees 1914. Eleanor Biss was the second wife of Hugh Pembroke Vowles. Francis Vowles went on to become a partner in Vowles, Jessop and Keen of Lorraine House, 45 Park Road, Gloucester, the house in which his Pearce grandparents had lived. He was Clerk to County Justices (Gloucester division). FH Vowles married Elizabeth Langhorne BA (1911โ€“1999) and was a member of the Royal Air Force Association (Gloucester branch). As well as a full-time solicitor, he was also honorary legal adviser to the Gloucester Association of parish and town councils from 1936 to 1976. He and his wife lived at the Old Rectory, Whaddon, Gloucester. Before his death, they built and moved into a new, adjacent house ("New Hasbrook") which retained the original pond. Christopher David Vowles (born Gloucester March 1916) completed articles in Gloucester. He visited the Soviet Union in 1936 and as result joined the Communist Party of Great Britain, remaining a member until its dissolution. He qualified as a solicitor in 1940 but during the second world war worked as a mechanical engineer for Dowty-Rotol, Gloucester, on aircraft production and becoming the works union convenor. After the war, he became sub-editor the Daily Worker. In 1947, be went into private practice with the legal firm Garber Vowles and company, London, later known as Gaster, Vowles, Turner and Loeffler. The firm was retained by a number of trade unions and advised the governments of Czechoslovakia and Poland. His obituary was published in the Morning Star on 28 September 1993. He was a director of Priday, Metford and Company Limited and owned a cottage in Southcot, Pewsey, Wiltshire.

Uploaded 14 June 2026

Photo details

Status
Approved
Context
Field / Unknown location
Date taken
September 1943 to August 1945(AI estimate)
Operation
Battle of the Bulgeยท Western FrontAI
License
CC BY-SA 4.0 (e.g. Wikimedia Commons)
Unresolved

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