LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Leon John THYER
Service No: 417014
Born: Peterborough SA, 17 September 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 November 1941
Unit: No. 150 Squadron (RAF), Cerignola No. 3 Airfield, Italy
Died: Air Operations (No. 150 Squadron Wellington aircraft LN515), Western Balkans area, 23 January 1944, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Stan and Dulcie Gladys Thyer, of Peterborough, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 16, Column 2, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 131, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Brother of Flying Officer James Boyd Thyer (47716)
Wellington LN515 of No. 150 Squadron took off at 1717 hours on 23 January 1944 to bomb an aircraft factory at Maribor, north west Yugoslavia. The aircraft failed to return from this mission. Severe icing conditions were experienced by other aircraft on the same mission. Following post war investigations and enquiries, it was recorded in 1948 that the missing crew had no known grave.
The crew members of LN515 were:
Sergeant Ernest George Cane (1075170) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Sergeant Miro Peter Marketo (428729) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Leon John Thyer (417014) (Pilot)
Sergeant Michael Frederick Reynold Walters (986045) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Rhys Williams (1136756) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
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, 166/39/221