Age, Biography and Wiki

Sydney Dowse (The Laughing Boy) was born on 21 November, 1918 in Hammersmith United Kingdom, is a Royal Air Force officer (1918–2008). Discover Sydney Dowse's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 89 years old?

Popular As The Laughing Boy
Occupation N/A
Age 89 years old
Zodiac Sign Scorpio
Born 21 November 1918
Birthday 21 November
Birthplace Hammersmith United Kingdom
Date of death 10 April, 2008
Died Place Hampshire, United Kingdom
Nationality United Kingdom

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 21 November. He is a member of famous officer with the age 89 years old group.

Sydney Dowse Height, Weight & Measurements

At 89 years old, Sydney Dowse height not available right now. We will update Sydney Dowse's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
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Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

Family
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Sydney Dowse Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Sydney Dowse worth at the age of 89 years old? Sydney Dowse’s income source is mostly from being a successful officer. He is from United Kingdom. We have estimated Sydney Dowse's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income officer

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Timeline

1918

Flight Lieutenant Sydney Hastings Dowse MC (21 November 1918 – 10 April 2008) was a Royal Air Force pilot who became a prisoner of war and survived The Great Escape during the Second World War.

Born in Hammersmith, Sydney was educated at Hurstpierpoint College.

1937

In July 1937, he joined the recently formed Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and learnt to fly at weekends.

1939

At the outbreak of war in September 1939, he was called up for regular service and completed his pilot training.

1940

He was commissioned as a pilot officer on 21 October 1940, with seniority from 9 August 1940.

He joined No 608 Squadron attached to Coastal Command flying Avro Ansons on anti-submarine and convoy escort operations.

At the end of 1940, he volunteered to join No 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) flying Spitfires.

1941

Dowse was shot down on 15 August 1941 while on a reconnaissance mission to photograph the German battleships GERMAN BATTLESHIP Scharnhorst and GERMAN BATTLESHIP Gneisenau at Brest.

He was wounded in the leg and quickly captured by the Germans, becoming a prisoner of war.

His first escape attempt came on 1 December 1941, when he was recovering from the leg wound sustained when he was shot down.

He escaped from a hospital at Stadtroda in Thuringia.

However, Dowse was recaptured three days later attempting to cross the Dutch-German border.

1942

He was mentioned in despatches on 11 June 1942 and promoted to flight lieutenant on 21 October 1942, with seniority from 9 August 1942.

His next attempt was from Stalag IX-C at Bad Sulza on 21 January 1942.

He exchanged identities with a Canadian POW and joined a work party.

He managed to slip away unnoticed when outside the camp.

After travelling some distance by train to Werwitz, he continued on foot, through deep snow, towards the German-Belgian frontier where he was re-captured five days later, suffering from extreme exhaustion and exposure.

Following a brief period in hospital, he was transferred to Oflag VI-B at Warburg.

At Warburg, he participated in the excavation of an escape tunnel, which was completed on 18 April 1942.

He, and 34 others (including the legless air ace, Douglas Bader, and Dowse's later escaping partner, Stanislaw Krol), prepared to escape.

However, as the tunnel broke surface, it became clear that it was slightly too short, and the exit hole had emerged directly in the patrol path of a German sentry.

Six RAF officers managed to escape, but, due to the proximity of the sentry, no one else, including Dowse, was able to do so.

In May 1942, Dowse was transferred to Stalag Luft III at Sagan with a batch of other RAF officers.

Dowse's next escape attempt happened on 30 November 1942, when he and Flt Lt Stanisław 'Danny' Krol cut through the wire into the camp's central compound and crawled across that compound using blankets as camouflage.

They were in the process of cutting the perimeter wire to get out when they were arrested and sentenced to 14 days' solitary confinement.

Dowse, who spoke some German, befriended a German corporal who worked alongside Dowse in the camp's censor office.

From this contact, Dowse was able to gain useful information and documents which aided the camp escape organisation.

1943

He was able to 'borrow' a genuine gate pass, which was copied by the camp's forgery department, and a copy was used on the delousing break mass escape in June 1943.

Through this same contact, Dowse was able to gain information about the German secret rocket establishment at Peenemünde.

This information was passed on to British intelligence via secret codes written into POWs' letters home.

Dowse also learnt that the Gestapo had liquidation plans for Roger Bushell if he were caught escaping again.

Dowse warned Bushell, who chose to ignore the warning.

During his time in the North Compound at Stalag Luft III, Dowse became involved with the construction of the three tunnels intended for a mass escape, masterminded by Roger Bushell, Harry Day and Canadian Wally Floody, who was instrumental in the tunnel's design and construction.

1944

One tunnel, codenamed 'Harry' which Dowse had helped build, was completed in early 1944.

On 24 March 1944, he took part in The Great Escape through tunnel 'Harry', escaping with Flt Lt Stanisław Krol.

Dowse had drawn escape number 21, and was disguised as a Danish foreign worker, equipped with the appropriate (forged) documents and clothing provided by his 'contact'.

Dowse and Krol travelled mainly by foot towards the Polish border, but were recaptured just inside Germany on 6 April 1944.

They were amongst the last escapers to be re-captured.

Taken to the local Gestapo headquarters, they were interrogated, before being separated.

Dowse was sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp.