Personnel Index - Detail

Name
SMITH
First Names
Thomas Haydon
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAF
Service Number
1006448
Crew Position
Observer
PoW Camp(s)
-
Age
21
Date of Death
29/09/1941
Cemetery

 

Photographed by Malcolm Brooke
 

28/29 September, 1941; FRANKFURT:

With a gap of nearly two weeks since the previous operation, 49 Squadron was asked to provide 14 Hampdens for a small scale attack on Frankfurt. 4 aircraft were scrubbed from the trip, and just before take-off a fifth suffered tail wheel collapse at the taxiing point.
At 22.50hrs the squadron started to launch the first of 9 aircraft. For one unfortunate crew disaster struck early; 11 minutes after take-off, Sgt Walker and crew (AE376) struck the ground whilst in a shallow dive; tragically all the crew were killed. Their Hampden, E-Echo, came down in Burton Park just north of Lincoln at 6 minutes past midnight.
 

Hampden AE376 (EA-E)
Sgt A.C. Walker Pilot (Killed)
Sgt A. Raine W/Ag (Killed)
Sgt R.E. Greenhalgh A/G (Killed)
Sgt T.H. Smith O/Bs (Killed)