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Thompson, Edward, Alan, Wilfred (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Action 1941-September-02

Male Head

Birth Date: 1920 (age 21)

GEORGE FREDERICK AND EMMA JANE THOMPSON, OF DAWLISH, DEVON.

Service
RAFVR
Unit
44 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Fulmina Regis Lusta The king's thunderbolts are righteous
Base
RAF Waddington
Rank
Pilot Officer
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
60564)

Hampden I AE 152

Bombing Berlin Germany 1941-September-02 to 1941-September-02

(B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Waddington

Handley Page Hampden Mk.I AE152 (KM-R) of 44 Squadron, RAF: lost on combat operations on night of 2-3/9/1941. Mission: Berlin. Took off from RAF Waddington at 20:45 hrs. Outward-bound, the aircraft was hit by Flak of the 3. schwere Batterie Vlieland-West/Marine-Flak-Abteilung 246 & crashed. The raid as mentioned in the Operations Record Book of No. 44 Squadron, stationed at Waddington air field near Lincoln:

"Waddington 2.9.41 Weather: Cloudy for most of day, becoming fine by midnight. Low stratus 600-800 ft between 0700-1000 BST. Visibility 2-7 miles. Surface winds WSW'ly veering to NW'ly 5-10 mph. Operations. Two objectives were selected, the first being to attack Berlin and the second to attack Frankfurt. Nine Hampdens from this Squadron were detailed to attack Berlin together with 128 aircraft from other Groups and Stations.

Of this number, five of this Squadron's aircraft reached the target. Pilot Officer Anekstein reported that his bombs dropped in the Templehof area, S/Ldr Nettleton's in vicinity of the railway station, S/Ldr Burton-Gyles DFC, P/O's Bell and Tew attacked the town.

On the return journey the flight experienced heavy fog and S/Ldr Burton- Gyles and Pilot Officer Bell were diverted to Wittering, Pilot Officer Tew to Linton-on-Ouse, while Pilot Officer Aneckstein crashed at Colsby. None of Aneckstein's crew was injured.

Of the remaining four aircraft detailed to attack Berlin, Sgt. Dobbs encountered a Me.110 about 20 miles East of Norderney and his aircraft was badly shot up and Sergeant Shipton (W.Op/AG) and Sergeant Durnan (REAR Gunner) were injured. Fire was exchanged between these two aircraft and both Sergeants Shipton and Durnan report the ME.110 as damaged.

F/Lt Ridpath DFC was unable to reach the main objective owing to 10/10 cloud and bombed Hamburg instead"

AE152 was presumed lost over the Waddenzee off Nes, Ameland, West Frisian Islands, Netherlands (at approximate co ordinates 53.26'42?N 5.46'23?E)

Crew 60564: Pilot Officer Edward Alan Wilfred Thompson RAF (pilot, aged 21) - KIA body recovered for burial J/3603: Pilot Officer Herbert James Cook RCAF (Observer, aged 25) - KIA body not recovered 1160202: Sgt. Eric Dyer RAF DFM (Wireless Op/Air Gunner, aged 28) - KIA body not recovered 1304399: Sgt. Walter McBeth (Air Gunner, aged 23)

Although the bombing and "gardening" were reasonably successful, Nos. 44 and 83 Squadron suffered losses over the target areas. No.44 Squadron lost AE152/E, AE254/W over Berlin, and AE313/C over Frankfurt, while No. 83 Squadron lost X3144 and AE315 over Berlin. In a few hours, No.44 Squadron had lost almost a quarter of its bombing force with twelve airmen missing.

Pilot Officer Thompson is buried in Nes General Cemetery, Ameland, West FRisian Islands, Netherlands. His crew have no known graves, and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorialsource: Richie Dyer

Target
Google MapBerlin Germany
Burial
Google MapNes General Cemetery
Plot D Row 15 Grave 1

Hampden AE 152

Pilot Officer Cook, Herbert James (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1941-September-02
Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK

Sergeant Dyer, Eric (RAFVR)
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1941-September-02
Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK

Male Head

Sergeant McBeth, Walter (RAFVR)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1941-September-02
Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK

Male Head

Pilot Officer Thompson, Edward, Alan, Wilfred (RAFVR)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1941-September-02
Nes General Cemetery, Ameland, Frisian Islands, Friesland, Netherlands

Handley Page Hampden

(RCAF Photo via Chris Charland)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Handley Page Hampden (Serial No. P5428), of No. 32 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Patricia Bay, British Columbia, in the torpedo-bomber training role between May 1942 and February 1944.

Handley Page developed a modern stressed-skin mid-wing monoplane, powered by Bristol Pegasus radial air cooled engines, with its first flight in 1936. It had the most advanced wings available at the time, giving it a remarkably low landing speed of 73 mph for an aircraft of its size, with a top speed of 265 mph. The Hampden had a short, narrow but tall main fuselage with a very slender tail unit. This configuration led to the nicknames "Flying Panhandle" and "Flying Suitcase". At the end of the war, no complete or partial Hampden aircraft were retained for museum display.

The Hampden served in the early stages of the war, bearing the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and in the first 1000-bomber raid on Cologne. In Canada, Hampdens were built by six companies that formed Associated Aircraft. There were three in Ontario and three in Quebec, hence they were identified as the Ontario Group and Quebec Group. They supplied all the the components to the two assembly plants. The Ontario Group's assembly plant was at the Malton Airport, while the Quebec group's assembly plant was at the St. Hubert Airport. Canadian Museum of Flight and Harold A Skaarup web page

YouTube Handley Page Hampden in Flight

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Hampden Bomber

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Kestrek Publications Hampden - Kestrel Publications

last update: 2022-01-13 21:37:22

Hampden I AE 152

KMRAF RoundelR
With 44 Sqn. Missing presumed ditched in North Sea

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