Tommy Rowe a true hero

There are many links between the Royal Air Force and Portsmouth Football Club but the outstanding one regards one of the club’s legendary figures.

Tommy Rowe was born in Bournemouth on 13 August 1913.  He was signed by local non-league side Poole Town before joining Pompey in 1934 after impressing in trial matches.

He had to wait three years before coming a first team regular after Jimmy Allen was sold to Aston Villa and a serious injury to Bob Salmond.  It was in September 1937 that Tommy became a first team regular and missed just a handful of matches before his final appearance at Blackpool in May 1939 – a game where George Formby famously paraded the FA Cup before the game.

Pompey had reached their third Cup Final in ten years and faced a highly fancied Wolves side at Wembley.  It proved to be third time lucky as Pompey with Tommy a kingpin in defence triumphed 4-1 and brought the famous old trophy back to south coast. He was also the tallest player in the game at 6ft 1in.

 At the outbreak of War Tommy joined the local police force. He later joined the RAF and trained as a bomber pilot. Tommy Rowe flew 39 successful bombing missions over Germany. During this time, he rose to the position of Squadron Leader and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

On his 40th bombing mission in April 1944, Tommy Rowe's aircraft was shot down over Germany and he spent the last years of the war as a prisoner of war.  On that fateful night, three of Tommy’s crew were Killed in action.

When peace returned to Europe Tommy Rowe continued to serve with the RAF Volunteer Reserve, finally relinquishing his commission in August 1958.

The entry in the London Gazette on 9 November 1943 reads Distinguished Flying Cross - Acting Flight Lieutenant Thomas ROWE (124836), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 77.

Tommy returned after the war to captain Dorchester before being forced to retire after breaking his skull.

He was the last surviving member of the 1939 Cup winning side when he passed away in May 2006 aged 92; a true hero!