LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Evan Hamilton THOMPSON
Service No: 404367
Born: Brisbane QLD, 4 June 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 August 1940
Unit: No. 455 Squadron, RAF Station Swinderby
Died: Air Operations: (No. 455 Squadron Hampden aircraft AE352), North West Europe, 21 January 1942, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Richard Francis and Eileen Mary Thompson, of Northgate, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 113, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 106, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Hampden AE352 took off from RAF Swinderby at 1720 hours on the night of 21/22nd January 1942 to bomb harbour installations at Emden, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. Four of the Squadron aircraft took part in the raid and two of these including AE352 did not return. No trace of the missing aircraft or crew could be found following post war searches and enquiries and the crew are listed as missing.
The crew members of AE352 were:
Sergeant Wilfred Giles (1186108) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant William Ernest Mabbett (988987) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer James Ernest Field Stanfield (404275) (Navigator)
Sergeant Evan Hamilton Thompson (404367) (Pilot)
No. 455 Squadron lost Hampden AT119 (Sergeant Ian MacPherson Ince (400028) (Navigator)) on 21 January 1942.
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, 163/166/167
Bibliography:
Gordon, I. (Ian) Strike and Strike Again: 455 Squadron 1944-5, Banner Books Belconnen ACT 2616, 1995
Lawson, John Horwood Wightman (251634) The Story of No. 455 Squadron (RAAF), Wilke and Company, Melbourne VIC, 1951