LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant David Sterrit THOMAS
Service No: 413688
Born: Lambton NSW, 25 December 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1941
Unit: No. 460 Squadron, RAF Station Binbrook, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations: (No. 460 Squadron Lancaster aircraft EE202), Germany, 9 October 1943, Aged 29 Years
Buried: Hanover War Cemetery, Hanover, Niedersachsen, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Edward James Thomas and Edith Mary Thomas, of Concord, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Concord NSW
Remembered: Panel 108, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Concord War Memorial, Concord NSW
Date: 8-9 October 1943
Target: Hanover
Total Force: Dispatched – 504, Attacking – 457
RAAF Force: No. 460 Dispatched – 17, Attacking – 16; No. 467 Dispatched – 6, Attacking – 6
Tons of Bombs Dropped: 1,667
Total Aircraft Lost: 27
RAAF Aircraft Lost: No. 460 – 2
On 8th-9th October only six Lancasters of No. 467 Squadron were available as the aircraft had been dispersed to emergency landing fields on return the previous night from Stuttgart. Australian participation was thus relatively low in what proved to be a classic example of a really successful concentrated attack. Before the raid a message from the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Bomber Command, was read to all crews directing attention to previous failures against this target and exhorting them to go to great pains. One large diversionary force of 104 aircraft went to Bremen and small groups of Mosquitos attacked Kastrop-Rauxel Berlin and Duren in order to disperse widely enemy fighters, which on previous raids had found it easy to reach Hanover because of its central position. The Pathfinders dropped flares and target indicators well placed in the centre of the city, and although a few were inevitably astray, the main bomber force, mindful of the appeal made to them, made sure that they attacked only the main markers. The important central area of Hanover between the principal railway station and the Machsee Lake (which had been roofed over and camouflaged) was almost completely devastated by fire. Sixty-two factories were damaged and fires were seen raging all night by Wing Commander Norman (No. 460 Squadron) who was shot down and captured during the raid. Flying Officer Murray Cameron Caffyn (409506), captain of the other RAAF Lancaster which failed to return, had got his crew away safely over Hanover when the aircraft was set afire by ground fire and fighter attack. After a vain attempt to fly to Holland, he was forced himself to bale out. He attempted to board a moving train bound for Bremen but was badly injured and captured soon afterwards.
Extracts from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Pages 605-6
Lancaster EE202 took off from RAF Binbrook at 2259 hours on 8 October 1943 to bomb Hanover, Germany. The bomb load was1 x 4000 lb (pound) (1,800 kg) and 3 x 1000 lb (225 kg) bombs, 48 x 30 lb (14 kg), 840 x 4 lb (2 kg) incendiaries. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base.
The crew members of EE202 were:
Sergeant George Edward Cleverly (1128375) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Edward James Ellery (416750) (Pilot) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 3 January 1946
Sergeant Peter Frederick Kille (1851581) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Wing Commander Robert Alexander Norman DFC (400102) (Pilot) (Commanding Officer No. 460 Squadron) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 8 May 1947
Sergeant Donald O’Donoghue (933194) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant James Orgill Simpson (409238) (Bomb Aimer) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 6 February 1946
Flight Sergeant David Sterrit Thomas (413688) (Navigator)
Sergeant Laurence Ernest Percival Wells (1604457) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
No. 460 Squadron lost Lancaster ED658 (Flying Officer Murray Cameron Caffyn (409506) (Pilot)) on 9 October 1943.
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/39/146
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Firkins, P. C. (Peter Charles) (441386) Strike and Return, Westward Ho Publishing City Beach WA, 1985