LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Thompson Neville Digby BOYD
Service No: 402435
Born: Drummoyne NSW, 18 July 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 August 1940
Unit: No. 23 Operational Training Unit (RAF), RAF Station Pershore
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 23 Operational Training Unit Wellington aircraft T2844), Gloucestershire, 26 October 1941, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Gloucester Old Cemetery, Gloucestershire
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thompson Keith and Ivy May Boyd; husband of Beryl Sylvia Boyd, of Figtree, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Newcastle NSW
Remembered: Panel 119, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Pennant Hills Golf Club Roll of Honour, Beecroft NSW
On 26 October 1941, Wellington T2844 took off from Pershore for an Air Test. At around 1655 hours the dinghy broke loose and fouled the controls. Before anyone could bale out the aircraft went into a steep dive, and both main planes failed, sending the aircraft hurtling into the ground near Swindon Farm, Stoke Orchard, four miles north north west of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. All on board were killed.
The crew members of T2844 were:
Flying Officer Thompson Neville Digby Boyd (402435) (Second Pilot)
Pilot Officer Mark Fairweather Gibson (J/6231) (RCAF) (Third Pilot)
Sergeant Patrick Earl Lacey (78169) (RCAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Harry Rose (110127) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Ronald Clarke Symes (106965) (RAFVR) (Observer)
Sergeant Francis Harry Patrick Tolley (1376875) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant William Walker (630430) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
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 A9300, BOYD T N
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line