Personnel Index - Detail

Name
SMITH
First Names
Thomas James
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAF
Service Number
1149674
Crew Position
Wireless operator/Air Gunner
Age
23
Date of Death
14/01/1944
Cemetery

 

Photographed by Bill Collar, SCE Germany

The two images below appear to have been taken at the same time and location (the car wheel arch can be seen in both images) but with the crew standing in different positions.



L-R......Sgt Shaw (BA), Sgt Sullivan (AG), Sgt Jerrard (FE), Sgt Smith (W/Op), Sgt Phipps (AG) and F/Sgt Branigan (NAV)



L to R......Sgt Shaw (BA), Sgt Phipps (AG), Sgt Sullivan (AG), Sgt Jerrard (FE), Sgt Smith (W/Op),  and F/Sgt Branigan (NAV)



Debriefing the crew following a raid to Berlin on 22/23 November 1943.....their faces say a lot about the experience.

The image shows the Intelligence Officer with (L to R) F/L Andrew Lawson-Tancred, Sgt Smith (face obscured), F/Sgt Brannigan (drinking), Sgt Phipps, Sgt Shaw (standing at the rear), Sgt Sullivan (wearing the red scarf) and either Sgt Jerrard (smoking with back to the camera).

In PoW journals, Sgt Jerrard is described as spending most of his time reading and smoking.

49Sqn Association


14/15 January, 1944; BRUNSWICK:

Nearly 500 bombers, including 9 from 49 Squadron were monitored by the Germans shortly after leaving the English coast, en-route for Brunswick and its important aircraft component and engineering works. There was a good deal of fighter activity from the coast to the target.
The raid itself was not a success with much of the bombing falling in open country. One of the squadron's aircraft failed to return from the operation. F/Lt Andrew Tancred (JB295) and crew in R-Robert were brought down over Germany. F/Sgt Branigan the flight engineer and navigator Sgt Jerrard were the only survivors. The other crew members are buried in Hannover War Cemetery.

Lancaster JB295 (EA-R)
F/L A.T. Lawson-Tancred Pilot (Killed)
Sgt H.D. Jerrard F/E (P.o.W.)
F/S W.E. Branigan NAV (P.o.W.)
Sgt T.J. Smith W/AG (Killed)
Sgt R. Phipps A/G (Killed)
Sgt D.H. Shaw B/A (Killed)
Sgt E.T.E. Sullivan A/G (Killed)

Crew on their 8th operation