Thompson, William Hector (Flying Officer)
Killed in Flying Accident 1943-February-14
Birth Date: 1896-August-08
Born: Gananoque, Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada
Parents: Son of George Thompson and Sarah Ann (nee Chadwick) Thompson
Spouse: Husband of Edith Marguerite (nee Tuft) Thompson, of Ottawa, Ontario
Home: Ottawa, Ontario
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: 1941-December-18
Service
RCAF
Unit
145 (BR) Sqn- Squadron
Furor Non Sine Frenis Fury with balance
Base
RCAF Station Torbay, Newfoundland
Rank
Flying Officer
Position
Signals Officer
Service Numbers
C/9632
Ottawa, Ontario
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)This incident involved multiple aircraft:
- Hudson I Serial: 771
- Hudson I Serial: 771
All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.
Crew or Other Personnel
Hudson 771
Accident Card - Lockheed Hudson I serial:771
This accident involved 2 aircraft on 1943-February-14. They are: Hudson I s/n 771, Hudson I s/n 771.
This accident involved 6 people. Hook , Rolfe RC, Snell , Stick JR, Thompson , Watterson TAK
This accident had 12 fatalities. First Lieutenant Eugene Estes Snell US Army Killed in Flying Accident service no: Hudson 771, First Lieutenant Eugene Estes Snell US Army Killed in Flying Accident service no: Hudson 771, Flight Sergeant Robert Cecil Rolfe RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/104858 Hudson 771, Flying Officer William Hector Thompson RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:C/9632 Hudson 771, Flying Officer William Hector Thompson RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:C/9632 Hudson 771, Flight Lieutenant John Thomas Hook RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:C/8747 Hudson 771, Warrant Officer 2nd Class James Robin Stick RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/84753 Hudson 771, Pilot Officer Thomas Albert Kidd Watterson RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:J/21312 Hudson 771, Flight Lieutenant John Thomas Hook RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:C/8747 Hudson 771, Flight Sergeant Robert Cecil Rolfe RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/104858 Hudson 771, Warrant Officer 2nd Class James Robin Stick RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:R/84753 Hudson 771, Pilot Officer Thomas Albert Kidd Watterson RCAF Killed in Flying Accident service no:J/21312 Hudson 771
Mission
Hudson I 771
Operational 1943-February-14 to 1943-February-14
145 (BR) Sqn (RCAF) RCAF Station Torbay, Newfoundland
145 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron (Furor Non Sine Frenis) RCAF Station, Torbay, Newfoundland. Hudson I aircraft 771 crashed in very poor weather and icing conditions during a Navigational Training flight between Torbay, Newfoundland and Moncton, New Brunswick. The Hudson crashed some 184 kilometres off-course in a heavily wooded area 14 kilometres from Dartmouth with the loss of all six crew aboard. The wreckage and flight crew remains were not located until 1944 -11-06
Pilot Officer Thomas Albert Kidd Watterson MiD (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Robert Cecil Rolfe (RCAF), Flying Officer William Hector Thompson (RCAF), Warrant Officer 2nd Class James Robin Stick (RCAF)(Nfld), Flight Lieutenant John Thomas Hook (RCAF) and 1st Lieutenant Eugene Estes Snell (US Army) were all killed in this flying accident
The Accident Investigation concluded that a combination of Navigational error with the possibility of low fuel due to being lost plus possible engine carburetor icing was the most likely cause of the loss of this aircraft and crew
Quietus Last Flight, Accident Proneness in WWII, Wartime Aviation Stories on the Canadian Home Front by Anne Gafiuk, Chapter 10
Royal Air Force Serial and Image DatabaseHudson serial: 771
Source National Air Force Museum of Canada.
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force (RAF) shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter. The Hudson served throughout the war, mainly with Coastal Command, but also in transport and training roles, as well as delivering agents into occupied France. They were also used extensively with the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) anti-submarine squadrons. National Air Force Museum of Canada.
Hudson
Wikipedia Hudson
Hudon - Kestrel PublicationsAircraft Images
Hudson 771
Hudson I 771
Diverted from RAF order, tested and delivered marked with RAF serial N7370. With No. 11 (BR) Squadron, RCAF Station Dartmouth, NS when this unit transferred to Eastern Air Command on 1 April 1940. Later with No. 145 (BR) Squadron, RCAF Station Torbay, Newfoundland. Flew this squadron's first operation, patrol on 2 June 1942. Crashed 14 February 1943, while on a navigation exercise from Torbay to Dartmouth. Came down 11 miles from Dartmouth. Wreckage not located until November 1943. 6 fatalities, including US Army passenger.1940-02-10 Taken on Strength No. 11 (BR) Squadron 2019-08-20
1943-February-14 Accident: 145 Squadron Loc: Between Torbay & Dartmouth Names: Hook | Rolfe | Snell | Stick | Thompson | Watterson
1943-February-14 Accident: 145 Squadron Loc: Between Torbay & Dartmouth Names: Hook | Rolfe | Snell | Stick | Thompson | Watterson
1943-10-20 Struck off Strength Struck off at No. 21 Sub-Repair Depot 2019-08-20
Hudson 771
Hudson I 771
Diverted from RAF order, tested and delivered marked with RAF serial N7370. With No. 11 (BR) Squadron, RCAF Station Dartmouth, NS when this unit transferred to Eastern Air Command on 1 April 1940. Later with No. 145 (BR) Squadron, RCAF Station Torbay, Newfoundland. Flew this squadron's first operation, patrol on 2 June 1942. Crashed 14 February 1943, while on a navigation exercise from Torbay to Dartmouth. Came down 11 miles from Dartmouth. Wreckage not located until November 1943. 6 fatalities, including US Army passenger.1940-02-10 Taken on Strength No. 11 (BR) Squadron 2019-08-20
1943-February-14 Accident: 145 Squadron Loc: Between Torbay & Dartmouth Names: Hook | Rolfe | Snell | Stick | Thompson | Watterson
1943-February-14 Accident: 145 Squadron Loc: Between Torbay & Dartmouth Names: Hook | Rolfe | Snell | Stick | Thompson | Watterson
1943-10-20 Struck off Strength Struck off at No. 21 Sub-Repair Depot 2019-08-20
Hudson 771 I - Operational - 1943-02-14 to 1943-02-14
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable
145 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron (Furor Non Sine Frenis) RCAF Station, Torbay, Newfoundland. Hudson I aircraft 771 crashed in very poor weather and icing conditions during a Navigational Training flight between Torbay, Newfoundland and Moncton, New Brunswick. The Hudson crashed some 184 kilometres off-course in a heavily wooded area 14 kilometres from Dartmouth with the loss of all six crew aboard. The wreckage and flight crew remains were not located until 1944 -11-06
Pilot Officer Thomas Albert Kidd Watterson MiD (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Robert Cecil Rolfe (RCAF), Flying Officer William Hector Thompson (RCAF), Warrant Officer 2nd Class James Robin Stick (RCAF)(Nfld), Flight Lieutenant John Thomas Hook (RCAF) and 1st Lieutenant Eugene Estes Snell (US Army) were all killed in this flying accident
The Accident Investigation concluded that a combination of Navigational error with the possibility of low fuel due to being lost plus possible engine carburetor icing was the most likely cause of the loss of this aircraft and crew
Quietus Last Flight, Accident Proneness in WWII, Wartime Aviation Stories on the Canadian Home Front by Anne Gafiuk, Chapter 10
