LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Thomas Edward O’NEILL
Service No: 407451
Born: Port Pirie SA, 22 December 1912
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 October 1940
Unit: No. 22 Squadron, Ward’s Strip, PNG
Died: Air Operations (No. 22 Squadron Boston aircraft A28-22), Buna Airstrip PNG, 26 November 1942, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Eugene Stephen and Agnes Mabel O’Neill; husband of Gwenneth Ethel O’Neill, of Adelaide, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Snowtown SA
Remembered: Panel 9, Port Moresby Memorial, PNG
Remembered: Panel 101, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
While on a bombing and strafing mission over Buna airfield on 26 November 1942, Boston A28-22 was hit by anti-aircraft fire and exploded and its three crew members were killed. Those crew members were:
Squadron Leader Kenneth Roy McDonald (250430) (Pilot)
Sergeant Charles Ronald Napier (420247) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Thomas Edward O’Neill (407451) (Wireless Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/50/75
Bibliography:
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Boston, Mitchell and Liberator in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992