206489 Sgt. Thomas W. Brock Royal Air Force Air Gunner 44 Sqn (d.22nd Nov1942) Thomas Brock was my cousin and, at the age of 32, was the "old man" of his crew captained by Plt Off Stanley Ryder Young aged 23. They took off from Waddington, time unknown, on the night of 22 Nov 1942 en-route for Stuttgart.
Their aircaft was Lanc W4304 KM-C which had been delivered to Waddington on 10 Oct 1942 and had completed 55 flying hours to date. Somewhere, either en-route or returning from Stuttgart, they were lost without trace. No further communication had been received from the aircraft. All 7 of the crew are remembered on the Runneymede Memorial like so many were before and after them.
I only wish that they had been found and had a resting place. I served with the RAF for 20 years, some of that time in Germany, and would have liked just to be able to stand infront of his grave and just say "Thanks" for their sacrifice. I know nothing of his previous service which is a great pity as he left a wife, who I have never met and have no idea what happened to her after his passing.
|