LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Thomas John LENNIE
Service No: 425684
Born: Maryborough QLD, 6 February 1913
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 April 1942
Unit: No. 98 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 98 Squadron Mitchell aircraft FW194), Netherlands, 25 September 1944, Aged 31 Years
Buried: Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Netherlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Chrissie Lennie, of Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Maryborough QLD
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 25 September 1944 Mitchell FW194 was detailed to carry out an attack on Arnhem, Netherlands. The aircraft was seen by other aircraft of the squadron being attacked by enemy aircraft over the target, and later seen on fire. FW194 crashed in Arnhem behind a Red Cross Hospital.
The crew members of FW194 were:
Warrant Officer Henry Frank Bowmaster (R/126244) (RCAF) (Wireless Operator Air) PoW
Flight Lieutenant Charles Bindon Carter DFC DFM (132348) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Thomas John Lennie (425684) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Bruce Llewellyn Williams (428538) (Pilot)
Warrant Officer Bowater later stated “The others were killed when the aircraft crashed. The escape hatch had been sealed by the cannon fire.”
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, 166/24/547