My Great Uncle: Sgt Sid Thompson: Royal Air Force

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, I only know of Sid through stories that my Dad has told me. Sid was my Dad's Uncle as he was Brother to his Mum, my Grandma. Sid volunteered for the RAF in 1940. Like most young men he wanted to become a pilot.

My earliest memory of Sid was seeing his photo in a silver frame at my Grandma's house which she kept in the china cabinet.

Here is Sid not long after joining up in 1940.

In 1993 I applied to the RAF for Sid's service records. As my Dad was nearest living next of kin, he signed the forms for me. His ranks were:

Aircraftman 2nd class 21/12/1940
Aircraftman 1st class 24/10/1941
Leading Aircraftman 1/6/1942
Temporary Sgt 20/8/1942

Sid trained as an Air Gunner in Canada. He was there for two years and enjoyed his time there, as he was able to visit his sister Mabel, who had emigrated there prior to WW1 in 1910.

This is the photo I remember as a child. This photo was taken outside of Great Aunt Mabel's house in Canada.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Here is Sid (2nd from the right) in Canada with some comrades. Note that they all wear RCAF Battledress. You can tell this by the cut of the pocket flaps, which lack the three pointed cut of the RAF version. The caps are pure Canadian.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Sid quailified as an Air Gunner in 1943. He was then posted to No.4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit based at RAF Alness, Scotland.

Sid's unit flew "Sunderland" flying boats. Here is a rare photo taken at RAF Alness which shows several Sunderlands around the hangers.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Here is Sid with the rest of his crew. This photo was taken within their Nissen hut on the base. Maybe it is one that can be seen in the above photo?

Also shown is a close up on Sid. Here he wears a BD blouse with a non regulation name tape above the left breast pocket and an air crew whistle on his collar. These were used in the event of ditching in the sea. But were also very much a fashion item

[Adrian Stevenson]

Here is Sid's last letter home to my Grandma. Note the RAF note paper and his comment "Same lousy place".


Sid was posted missing in action on Feb.17th 1944.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Sid is recored on the Runnymead memorial (Panel 239) to RAF Aircrew with no known grave (One of over 50,000 men) and on the village War Memorial in his birthplace of Ruddington, Nottinghamshire.

In 2001, a new memorial was unveiled at the site of the former RAF Alness to comemmorate the aircrew lost.

[Adrian Stevenson]

At around Christmas of 2004, I got to thinking more about Sid. I decided to do some research on his last flight. I contacted the RAF Historical Branch and they were very helpful. As my Dad was nearest living next of kin they were prepared to release the findings of the court of inquiry to him. Within a week of my initial phone call, I had photo copies of the report on the loss of his aircraft. I have a history of the aircraft itself plus the crash reports:

Sunderland II T9088 'JJ' of 4(C)OTU, Alness, crashed in sea 65 miles E. of Shapinsay, on 17/2/44. Was due back from ops 06:30.
ASR searches by the units Sunderland’s 'W', 'KK', 'GG' and 'Q' on 17th, 'Q' and one other on 18th and 'KK' on 20th found nothing. Oxfords from 4(C)OTU, Evanton, also took part:'G' searched on 18th & 19th and Oxford 'F' on 17th. These efforts revealed nothing.

These men all died together:

Sgt Derek AUSTIN - 1808975
Sgt Basil BAXTER - 982255
Sgt Eric A. CAIRNS - 1614727
Sgt Andrew W. FLETCHER - 1098158
F/O Alan D.H. GRAY - 123248
F/O Kevin R. GUITON - 128703
F/S Maurice J.H. JERRARD - 1339621
W/O George MARSH - 1164460
F/O Eric N. McLEOD-NIBBS - 146475
Sgt Sidney THOMPSON - 1083332

After my sucess with the RAF, I thought some more. Sid was a married man when he joined up in 1940. After he was killed his wife started a new life and began to see another man, who she eventually married. This was a different era to today. My Grandma did not really approve of this at all and my Great Aunt was shunned by most of the family. A sad thing, but I guess this happened at lot during wartime and it is easy to judge 60 years on and in a very different time?

I got to thinking "I wonder if Great Aunt Ethl ever claimed Sid's medals?" .

My Dad did not know, so we contacted the RAF Medals Office. We were sent the appropiate form, filled it in and sent it back. After a short time a letter came back stating my Dad was not nearest Next of Kin? They said he still had a wife. A phone call to them proved a waste of time, even though Ethyl died many years ago, they wanted proof! I asked why did they not just check with the War Pensions office, no cannot do that "Wrong Dept". They wanted a death certificate. This we could not supply and would cost us to obtain. I rang back again on my Dad's behalf. I had looked at the records we had otained 10 years before and found her name had been entered twice on his service records; once correctly and then again with her second name listed as her first. I asked, even if I did provide a death cert they might argue the name was not right? The reply I got "well there was a war on you know!" This did not help me. What I heard next made me see red! The man said "look his medals are not worth very much, I can put you in contact with a dealer friend of mine who can sell you some". I then had to put the phone down to cool off. After a while I calmed down and phoned back. I said "ten years ago we filled in the same form to obtain his service records and you were very happy to take the £15 fee, no questions asked! Now we try to obtain his medals which belonged to a man who died for his Country and you are putting problems in our way!" The reply came "Oh, don't be like that Mr Stevenson!" After telling him what I thought of the way his office worked, he gave in. Send a signed statement that Sid's wife was dead and they would release his medals.

So we waited, and waited. It took 6 months for the medals to arrive!

[Adrian Stevenson]

Here are the details of the aircraft, serial number T9088. It was one of a batch of 8 aircraft, T9083 to T9090 built by Blackburn at Dumbarton near Glasgow under contract # B37753/39. It served with:


9 March 1942 to 288 Squadron
2 May 1942 to 461 Squadron RAAF
8 May 1942 to 228 squadron
29 July 1942 to FBSU (Flying Boat Servicing Unit) Wig Bay
25 Aug 1943 to 4 (Coastal) OTU
Failed To Return from exercise off Orkneys 17 Feb 1944.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Here is the findings of the court of inquiry. I hope that it will be readable after shrinking it to the forum size restrictions?

A transcript of this reads:

Non Operational Night Training.

Aircraft failed to return from exercise.

Missing.

"Plot" believed this aircraft showed it 30 miles off track.

Only two wireless telegraph contacts made.
Crew sent on Operational Flying exercise having just returned from one! Fatigue.
Weather excellent. Bright moon.

Court of Inquiry:

No evidence as to cause of accident. CO agrees: ... also agrees.
Air Officer Commanding Court of Inquiry: agrees but taking action as to why crew sent on Operational Flying Exercise immediately after completing one. Pilot probably tired.

[Adrian Stevenson]

I thought the story had ended there, but two years ago I was contacted by the daughter of one of Sid's crewmates who died with him on that ill fated flight.

Enclosed with the email was a suberb photo of my Great Uncle Sid and all the other members of the crew of Sunderland T9088. As you can imagine my Dad and I were really excited about getting this!

I had a really great telephone conversation with Rosalie, the lady I mentioned who contacted me. We spoke for over an hour. Rosalie lives in Australia.

This picture shows what we believe to be the crew of the Sunderland in which her Dad and my Great Uncle were lost. It was the last photo taken of her Dad.

Rosalie's Dad is F/O Eric N. McLEOD-NIBBS - 146475 and can be seen second from the right in the front row (the Officer without a tie).

My Great-Uncle Sid is on the back row, far left. It looks like he wears three jumpers!

There is some nice detail to the photo, like the unofficial name tapes worn on the BD blouse.

[Adrian Stevenson]

The final part of my story about Sid finishes last year.

Sadly my Aunt died and she had kept this. The previous last letter home I showed was sent to my Grandma.

This one is dated a mere two days before Sid's death. I think it also shines some light upon the crash, which was put down to the pilot being tired, as Sid mentions how they were all very tried and putting in extra flights to catch up with their training. Sad to read how he was telling his parents that he would be home on leave soon...

[RaymondG]

What a wonderful story, Ade.

It is both sad and yet uplifting and shows what can be achieved when you someone perseveres with their research.

Great story and thanks for sharing it with us.

Raymond

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, I have a few updates to add to this thread.

I forgot to add these images and a link to some current(ish) satelite images of the the site of the former RAF Alness. A friend kindly researched these for my, so thanks Paul :thumbup:

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=57.681067&lon=-4.2631&z=16.9&r=115&src=msa

These screen shots show much of the site. Here is a basic overview.

[Adrian Stevenson]

A1 shows the former Hanger areas, the Slipway is visible at top, hangar outlines are visible in the trees and top right corner as grass marks.

Compare with the photo shown in post 3 in this thread.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Photo A2: Dalmore House.

Dalmore House was taken over for the Officers' Mess, with further buildings in the grounds. The rifle range backstop is visible top left.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Photo A3: Training and Instructional Area.

Centre bottom is the gatehouse on the tree-lined driveway up to Dalmore House. The long rectangular building in the top centre is a 5-bay Link Trainer hut.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Photo A4: Building bases.

Plenty of blast shelters visible dotted around this area.

[Adrian Stevenson]

What is very exicting is that this morning I have been contacted by the family of Sgt Basil Baxter who died along side Great Uncle Sid on that ill fated flight. I will add more once I hear from them again!

Cheers, Ade.

[Justin]

Family History at its best!


Its hard to sum up words after reading that.... fascinating storie look forward to any up dates

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Justin, thanks for the comments. I certainly will keep the forum updated.

Another item I forgot to show was this cast metal model of a "Sunderland" flying boat which was made Dinky. It is now not available but via a search I got one. But the neat thing about this model is that the marking of that of Sid's very unit!

Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

I can now identify Sgt Baxter. He is seated in the front row, far right hand side on the group photo I showed earlier and shown again here . :thumbup:

Cheers, Ade.

[Darrell]

Great stuff Ade. I missed this thread. It still amazes me that they were that lazy in trying to help you obtain medals. I guess that's how many relate to the past and what medals are worth to some people :angry:

[Darrell]

Did you ever find out where the picture was taken of your Aunts house in Canada? Or where he trained in Canada?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Darrell, yes the medal office's attitude stank! Several medal collectors have commented that they think he should have been awarded the 1939-45 Star too. The regulations are complex, but I now tend to think he should have got one, being killed on active service?

My Great Aunt Mabel lived in Regina, Saskatewan. She emigrated there in 1910 and I remember my Grandma says she travelled by cover wagon in "Wild West" style. Her daughter, Dorothy with her husband Ador (who was of Dutch background) came over to stay with us in the UK back in the 1970's. They had done well then due to the high price of grain. The family still live there, original in farming, but now most seem to have gone into Law & Medicin. My cousin is in regular contact with them.

Sid trained at various flight/air gunnery schools in Canada. I have scanned the entries from his service records for you to see. As you can see, he spent a long time in hospital at one stage in 1942. I have at present failed to find out why?

Cheers, Ade.

[RaymondG]

Hi Ade

Great update to the thread.

It is great, and I imagine somewhat unexpected that a relative of Sgt Baxter has been in touch.

Raymond

[Adrian Stevenson]

It has been a great thrill. My Dad is really pleased about all of this. I have been in contact with Rosalie in Australia, you will recall her Dad was one of the pilots. She now wants to get in touch with Sgt Baxter's family too. Rosalie has offered to send me some scans of her Dad's letters once her brother has finished copying them from hand writing to an easier to read text.

Cheers, Ade.

[RaymondG]

That is great, Ade, and an exciting development.

I thought it was such a great coincidence that the Sunderland model was Sid's unit. That was something.

Raymond

[Adrian Stevenson]

Going through my files, I realise there is more to add to this thread. I forgot a very important part, the dreaded telegrams and letter from the C/O.

I will add these now.

First off is the initial telegram which tells of Sid being posted as "Missing".

[Adrian Stevenson]

The second telegram.

[Adrian Stevenson]

The letter from the Wing Commander to Sid's parents. Reading this you can see how families could cling onto a hope their loved one might still be alive.

[RaymondG]

Hi

It must have been a terrible time with the next communication that arrived bringing a mixture of dread and hope in equal measure.

Raymond