LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Thomas Henry SIMPSON DFC
Service No: 408609
Born: Lismore NSW, 21 November 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 25 May 1941 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 88 Squadron (RAF)
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 25 July 1944
Died: Air Operations: The Battle for Normandy (No. 88 Squadron Boston aircraft BZ425), France, 5 August 1944, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Banneville-La-Campagne War Cemetery, Calvados, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur Earl Simpson and Edith Emeline Simpson, of Noraville, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Morpeth NSW
Remembered: Panel 130, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Memorial, Department of Main Roads Employees, North Sydney NSW
DFC Citation: This officer has completed a large number of sorties, many of them against well defended targets and often in bad weather. He has invariably displayed a high standard of gallantry and his example of determination and devotion to duty has been most commendable. (London Gazette 25 July 1944, page 3467)
At 0040 hours on the morning of 5 August 1944 Boston BZ425 took off detailed to carry out a night offensive patrol against troop and transport movements south west of Caen, France. BZ425 was one of a number of Boston aircraft on the mission. BZ425 and one other Boston failed to return from the mission. The aircraft crashed at St Loup Soulangy and all the crew members were killed.
The crew members of BZ425 were:
Flying Officer Thomas McCauley Hood (413122) (Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Thomas Henry Simpson DFC (408609) (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Robert Taylor (179825) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flying Officer Edward Vierow (173120) (RAFVR) (Navigator Bomb Aimer)
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, 166/37/492
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line