LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Russell James THOMSON
Service No: 409862
Born: Kew VIC, 3 December 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 10 October 1941
Unit: No. 622 Squadron (RAF), RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk
Died: Air Operations: (No. 622 Squadron Stirling aircraft EJ113), France, 18 November 1943, Aged 25 Years
Buried: Bussy-Le-Chateau Churchyard, Marne, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John Mair Thomson and Alice Louise Thomson, of North Brighton, Victoria, Australia. Secretary and Accountant.
Roll of Honour: Brighton VIC
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On the night of 18/19th November 1943, Stirling EJ113 took off from RAF Mildenhall at 1710 hours, detailed to bomb Mannheim, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft crashed at Bussy-le-Chateau (Marne), 18 kms north east of Chalons-sur-Marne, France. All the crew were killed.
The crew members of EJ113 were:
Sergeant George Henry Austin (1390546) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant Douglas Ralph Comber (1601106) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Augustine Michael Kearney (410498) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Millard Leon Nesvold (R/159321) (RCAF) (Air Gunner)
Pilot Officer Stanley Owen (160664) (RAFVR) (Pilot and Aircraft Captain)
Sergeant Louis Pezaro (1583515) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Russell James Thomson (409862) (Second Pilot)
Flying Officer Stanley Willetts (134699) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
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 Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/39/172