My uncle Tom... What was he???

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GuyMassey
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My uncle Tom... What was he???

Post by GuyMassey »

I know very little about my uncle Tom, full name Thomas Patrick O'Sullivan b. 1901 Woolwich d. 1963 Bishopsteignton, Devon. His Death Certificate states that he was a Warrant Officer (RAF) Retired. So far all seems fairly simple until...

A search of on-line records reveals that the only Thomas Patrick O'Sullivan (that I can find) was a Temporary Lieutenant RNVSR, Assistant Hope Bay 1946. Furthermore the attached photographs in our family archive are attributed to him.

So Navy or RAF? What more can I find out about him?
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"The purpose of life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave with a well-preserved body, but rather to Slide in Sideways, completely used up, yelling and screaming, what a ride!" anon.
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K4KittyCrew
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Re: My uncle Tom... What was he???

Post by K4KittyCrew »

Hi Guy,

Think we may have an answer here for you .............. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... bRAj-MphCA
Cheers,
John
K for Kitty Crew - Winthorpe, 1661 HCU's - stirlingaircraftsoc.raf38group.org/
630 Squadron - East Kirkby
" There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who served us so valiantly"
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GuyMassey
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Re: My uncle Tom... What was he???

Post by GuyMassey »

I am still struggling with Uncle Tom! Any thoughts from my learned friends would be most appreciated!

The only family members who remember Tom were very young when he was alive. All swear that he was in the RAF with his rank anything from Warrant Officer to Squadron Leader. Odd clues that I have found are as follows:

From my father and NA
Thomas Patrick O'Sullivan (1901 – 1963) Did not marry?
Death certificate states that he was a Warrant Officer in the RAF
A Thomas Patrick O'Sullivan is listed on Ancestry in the RNVR
Family photographs attributed to him appear to have been taken in Aden of navy aircraft.
Pre-war he lived in Woolwich then moved to Shaldon, Devon with his mother and sisters.

This from an uncle:
He served at RAF Odiham at some point.
He was shot down in Palestine and walked back, when he returned to his unit his hair had turned snowy white)

This from an aunt:
"Tom O'Sullivan was an RAF squadron leader decorated in war, serving out of RAF Manston and Odiham.
I was told told by my aunt that he once returned To England by boat and she went to meet him. With hindsight, I would say this was before war started. He'd been rescued or something and she didn't recognise them because he was wearing a huge sweater, big as a dress!
Sometime in the war, while I attended sort of nursery school at Bishopsteignton House, I was taken into Torquay to scour antique shops for metal oakleaves, I was told, and heard my aunt telling the antique dealers, who seemed to know what she was talking about. that her brother had been decorated and needed these to wear with his uniform. She found them in the end and, I presume, sent them to him."
"The purpose of life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave with a well-preserved body, but rather to Slide in Sideways, completely used up, yelling and screaming, what a ride!" anon.
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