LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Thomas ADCOCK
Service No: 434097
Born: Herberton QLD, 10 August 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 October 1942
Unit: No. 103 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Elsham Wolds
Died: Air Operations: (No. 103 Squadron Lancaster aircraft LM116), Denmark, 30 August 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Kiel War Cemetery, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Jessie Adcock, of Mossman, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Douglas Shire QLD
Remembered: Panel 118, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Lancaster LM116 took off from Elsham Wolds at 2111 hours on the night of 29 August 1944 detailed to bomb Stettin, Geramny. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. A Missing Research & Enquiry team later reported “the aircraft crashed at Karup as a result of enemy action.” Karup is approximately 3 miles south west of Viborg, Denmark. All the crew members had been killed.
The crew members of LM116 were:
Flight Sergeant Thomas Adcock (434097) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Sidney Walpole Allen (1594928) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Thomas Barton (1621407) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flying Officer William Nixon (152339) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant William Charles Sadler (1896102) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Niel Graham Sporran (1595923) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flying Officer Charles Bernard Whitmore (152649) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/3/271
Bibliography:
Charlwood, D.E.C. (Donald Ernest Cameron) (408794) No Moon Tonight (Angus and Robertson 1956), Penguin Ringwood VIC, 3134, 1991