Crouch, Thomas John (Warrant Officer 1st Class)

Prisoner of War 1943-March-25

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Birth Date: unkown date

Born:

Parents:

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Home: Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

458 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAAF)
We Find and Destroy

Base

RAF Shallufa, Egypt

Rank

Warrant Officer 1st Class

Position

Service Numbers

R/88517
PoW: 894

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Aircraft was loaded with torpedoes for an anti-shipping search covering an area East of Sardinia, Maritime, Palermo, and Naples.

The aircraft requested a bearing back to Base while it was between Palermo and Naples. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft and the aircraft failed to return.

LB-172 was brought down by flak and crash-landed at Trapani, Sicily.

POWs includes Crouch: Sergeant John Gow Shierlaw RAAF POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus. Pilot Officer Hugh Tannahill Lambie RAAF POW Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria. Sergeant William Paul Hermansen RAAF POW Stalag Luft L6 Heydekrug. Sergeant Reginald White Mellor RAAF POW Stalag Luft L6 Heydekrug. Sergeant Francis Oswald Raymond RAAF POW Stalag Luft L6 Heydekrug.

Mission

Wellington MK Vlll LB172

Bombing Naples Italy 1943-March-25 to 1943-March-25

458 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Luqa, Malta
458 Australia Squadron (We Find and Destroy). Wellington LB172 was equipped with torpedoes to carry out an armed shipping search covering an area East of Sardinia, Maritime, Palermo, and Naples. The aircraft requested a bearing back to Base while it was between Palermo and Naples. Nothing further was heard from the aircraft and the aircraft failed to return. The cause of the crash was unknown. All crew members were taken Prisoners of War: RCAF Sgt. T.J. Crouch; RNZAF W.P. Hermann; RAAF Pilot Officer H.T. Lambie; RAAF Sgt. R.W. Mellor; RAAF Sgt. F.O. Raymond; and RAAF W/O J.G. Shierlaw. W/O Shierlaw was subsequently killed during a mistaken allied air attack on Prisoners of War near the German village of Gresse in 1945.