LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Ronald Gilbert THOMAS
Service No: 402552
Born: Newcastle NSW, 19 November 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 September 1940
Unit: No. 42 Radar Director Direction Finding Wing
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 5 Communication Unit Dragon aircraft A34-25), Croydon QLD, 6 December 1943, Aged 22 Years
Buried: Townsville War Cemetery QLD
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Harold Leslie and Violet Annie Lily May Thomas, of Mayfield, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 114, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 6 December 1943, Dragon A34-25 took off from Garbutt on a non-operational flight transporting radar equipment to No. 313 Radar Station, Mornington Island, Queensland. The Pilot refuelled at No. 29 Operational Base Unit at Inverleigh but the aircraft failed to arrive at Mornington Island. No trace of the missing aircraft was found until in 1950 the wreck of the aircraft and its crew were located near Croydon, North Queensland.
The crew members of A34-25 were:
Corporal Terence Joseph Hutchinson (8719) (Fitter II Engines)
Flying Officer Ronald Gilbert Thomas (402552) (Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/39/180; A9845, 211