LEST WE FORGET

Flying Officer Thomas Trevor LAIDLAW

Service No: 401970
Born: Hamilton VIC, 21 September 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 26 April 1941
Unit: No. 4 Squadron
Died: Air Operations: (No. 4 Squadron Boomerang A46-112), Hopoi area PNG, 6 September 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Lae War Cemetery PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Thomas Haliburton Laidlaw and Elfwyn Anne Laidlaw; husband of Betty Patricia Laidlaw, of Kew, Victoria
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 98, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

On 6 September 1943, Flying Officer Laidlaw in Boomerang A46-112 was carrying out a reconnaissance in the Hopoi area, New Guinea. He was accompanied by Flying Officer Roy Sydney Carter DFC (405375) (Discharged: 30 September 1945) in another Boomerang. Flying Officer Carter sighted a formation of enemy aircraft and while calling Laidlaw on his radio to warn him, was attacked by enemy fighters and he did not see Laidlaw again. Flying Officer Carter returned safely to base. On 12 November 1948 the wreck of A46-112 and Flying Officer Laidlaw’s remains were found near the Busa River.

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, LAIDLAW T T; A9845, 205

Bibliography:

Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002

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