Tabor, Walter Thomas (Flight Sergeant)

144 Squadron (Who Shall Stop Us) Hampden TB.I AE356 aircraft was on special detachment transiting to Murmansk and strayed out of the safe "approach corridor" for the Afrikanda airfield (R.C. Nesbit). It was attacked by a Soviet fighter (possibly a Hurricane) in error, which killed FS W.T. Tabor and AC2 R.E. Holmes (RAF). The aircraft went down in the sea near just off shore of the Kola Inlet near the Russian village of Severmorosk. Pilot Sergeant W.H. Hood, 2 RCAF (possibly Sergeant Turnbull and Sergeant O'Neil) and 1 RAF (possibly Cpl Baker) safe (H. Moyle). FS Tabor was buried at Severmorosk by a party from 144 Sqn. In 1993 Russian sailors presented his family in Thunder Bay with a .50 cal. shell filled with earth from the grave. This loss was also the subject of an article in the June/July 1994 Legion magazine. Flight Sergeant Air Gunner Tabor has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Runnymede War Memorial, Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey, England. Addendum: - Flight Sergeant Tabor was killed by enemy fighter aircraft fire. Hampden aircraft 356 was forced to ditch near shore and was again straffed by the fighter. The others of the crew, all RCAF, escaped safely. Flight Sergeant Air Gunner Tabor was given a proper military service and burial led by R.A.F. Squadron Leader Foster (144 Sqdn.) and is buried part way up a hill which overlooks Severmorosk in the Vaenga Cemetery, Russia. Detail provided by the pilot of the aircraft ex RCAF Flight Sergeant Walter H. Hood R77067 - Havelock, Ontario. Addendum: Hampden aircraft was on special detachment when it was shot down by Russian Forces and went down in the sea near Kela Inlet. Other crew members were picked up by the Russian Navy and eventually returned to England. Flight Sergeant Air Gunner Tabor is buried in the Vaenga Russian Naval Cemetery, Severomorsk, Russia. Detail provided by W. Hood, Victoria, British Columbia,