MINUTES - Council - 19440223-\
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Fourth Meeting-Feb.23-44
A.special meeting of the Aurora Council was held ron Wednesday,
Feb.23-44 at 8.00 P.M.in the Council Chambers. The meeting was held fror
the pirpose of tendering Pilot Officer Chas.Rowe,recently returned
from Overseas an Official Welcome in appreciation of his distinguished
overseas servive. Mayor Roscoe Linton occupied the chair and the.
following members of Council were present: Deputy Reeve A.A.Cook,
Councillors R.V.Smith,Thos.Swindle, and Dr.Crawford Rose. A letter
was read to Pilot Officer Rowe from Reeve Chas.E.Sparks,he being
unable to attend the meeting through illness.
Others present at the meeting were Mrs,A.W.Rowe,Charlie's Mother,
and his brother James Rowe,Mr.&.Mrs.Frank Rowe,Fred.Rowe,Rev.S.W •
. Hurtle,Mjnister of St.Andrew's Church 1Rev.J.W.Stewant,Pres.of the
Navy League,Dr.E.J.Henderson,Pres.of the Red Cross,L.C.Lee,Pres.
of the Board of Trade,Dr.C.J.Devins,Chairman of the Public School
Board,Dr.G.W.Williams,Chairman of the High School Board,J.H.Knowles,
principal of the Aurora High School,Harold Lubbock of the Aurora
Banner and Mr.A.Hebb,of the Newmarket Era.
Mayor Linton read the following address to Pilot Office Rowe:
The members of the Aurora Council and representative citizens of ctl:
other organizations in our town have met here this evening to convey
to you,on behalf of all the citizens of the tovvn,a cordial welcome
on your return from overseas.
We acknowledge,and are grateful to you for the part you have
already take~ in this great struggle. We know you are ready and willing
to continue wit h the fight until victory is won and peace restored to
the world.
In extending this official welcome yo you we also eealize
that in a very few days you will again be leaving your loved ones,
therefore we extend at this time,the best wishes for your early and
safe return.May you always remember when away from your home town
that our thoughts and prayers are constantly with you.
Rev.S.W.Hurtle,Minister of St.Andrew's Presbyterian Church
Aurora.Dr.E.J.Henderson,president of the Red Cross and Deputy Reeve
A.A.Cook all addressed the meeting and expressed their appreciation
of Pilot Officer Bowe's services to his country
Charlie was presented by the Council with a Bill Fold
suitably inscribed and Mr.L.C.Lee presented Mrs.A.W.Rowe,charlie's
M0 ther with flowers from the Aurora Board of Trade.
Mayor Linton gave a short talk on the history of the Rowe
family as far back as Pilot Officer Rowe's Grandfather,which was
much appreciated by all present. Charlis then addressed the meeting
and related many of bis experiemces and his life with the R.A.F.
Mention was made by P.lot Officer Rowe of the fine work that was
being done among the boys overseas by the Red Cross,Salvation Army
and the Y.M.C.A.
Charlie gave a very interesting description of a bombing
raid over enemy territory.P1anes leave for a raid at one minute
inte;rvals so that proper formation can be obtained in the air.Some-
times they return to their target several nights in succession. The
night he was wounded,their machine was only five minutes frpm the
target when they were attacked bybthe enemy from the side.Tne plane
was·riddled from nose to tail,the rear gunner was kililldd and three
others wounded. One engine was lost on the way home and the wheels
would not stay in place so that a crash landing had to be made •
While he was convalesing in a hospital in England the
entire squamron of which he was a memberm was wiped out.
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