LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant William Jefferis THOMAS
Service No: 417134
Born: Norwood SA, 24 February 1915
Enlisted in the RAAF: 6 December 1941
Unit: No. 104 Squadron (RAF), Foggia Main airfield, Italy
Died: Air Operations (No. 104 Squadron Wellington aircraft HE129), Italy, 18 January 1944, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Bari War Cemetery, Italy
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William John and Emily Eva Thomas, of Norwood, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Norwood SA
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Wellington HE129 took off at 1825 hours on 18th January 1944 to bomb the railway line from Ancona to Fano, Italy. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at San Marco, north of Manfredonia, Italy, and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of HE129 were:
Flying Officer Arthur Dennis Bull (133776) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant William John Frewin (1321312) (RAF) (Air Gunner)
Sergeant Francis Richard Hughes (1034044) (RAF) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant David Hagan Morrissey (15835) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William Jefferis Thomas (417134) (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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/39/218