LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Thomas Stanislaus GAFFNEY
Service No: 405441
Born: Toowoomba QLD, 30 April 1909
Enlisted in the RAAF: 29 March 1941
Unit: No. 14 Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 14 Operational Training Unit Hampden aircraft P5312), Germany, 26 June 1942, Aged 33 Years
Buried: Sage War Cemetery, Oldenburg, Niedersachsen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Peter and Grace Gaffney; husband of Josephine Patricia Gaffney, of Hendra, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 2252 hours on the night of 25 June 1942 Hampden P5312 took off from RAF Cottesmore detailed to attack Bremen, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Borkum, Germany. Three of the crew were killed in the crash and Sergeant Cusden was severely burned and died on 18 September 1942.
The crew members of P5312 were:
Sergeant Sydney Howard Cusden (922350) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner) Fatally injured, Died: 18 September 1942
Sergeant Thomas Stanislaus Gaffney (405441) (Observer)
Flight Sergeant Richard John Horlock (637223) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Count Tristan Edward Salazar DFC (62277) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/115/115