Thomas Crew on Stirling bomber came down 30/31July 1943

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Bruno
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Thomas Crew on Stirling bomber came down 30/31July 1943

Post by Bruno »

Hello,

Here is below the message sent by Lyn Vaughan, one of our members:

I am not so good at remembering the details but I do have a lot of information already courtesy of NZ Squadron 75, family and other people looking at the stories. My Uncle Jack Thomas was a hero in our family and finally I am visiting the area where he crashed. Been to Runnymede many times.

30 July 1943 mission to Remscheid
Stirling Mk.III BF458 JN-A

Sgt. Alfred John Thomas, RAFVR 1394123/ 149999 – Pilot.
Sgt. Hector Alisdair ‘Paddy’ Stewart , RAFVR 1029882 – Navigator.
F/S Frederick William Raukawa Cumpsty, RNZAF NZ413386 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. R.H. Boxell, RAFVR 1331932 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. John William Gale, RAFVR 1271102 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. John Hubert O’Farrell, RAFVR 1796043 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ernest Frank Henry, RCAF R.139159 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off – – Landed –
Flight Time Missing


I will be going to Reischwald Forest Cemetery about 6 September where two crew members, O'Farrell and Gale are buried and then to Krefeld where my Uncle Jack Thomas's plane came down. Thomas, Cumpsty, and Henry have no know burial plot and are listed at the RAF Memorial, Runnymede.

We know from two survivors of the crash, PoWs Paddy Stewart and R Boxall,who visited my uncle's sister after the war that the plane went down in a lake. A body was recovered but they were not allowed to see it. Who would I go to to find out where the plane ditched?

I have contacted a family member of Paddy Stewart but we cannot track down RH Boxall. it would be good to have his story too.

I would really like to hear from any of the family members before I go to Germany or anyone who has an answer to my questions. Photos will be taken and forwarded to you and any family if you wish them. My work on all my uncle's letters will take much longer.

Thanks so much for providing this forum for us.

Lyn Vaughan (Mrs)
Bruno LECAPLAIN, Webmaster.
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abc man
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Re: Thomas Crew on Stirling bomber came down 30/31July 1943

Post by abc man »

Bruno,

The man Mrs. Vaughan is looking for was 1331932 Sgt. Ronald Henry Boxell.

Service number comes from a block of numbers: 1330001 to 1340000, issued beginning Nov 1940 Uxbridge and Weston-super-Mare.

Ancestry shows a family tree with a birth year of 1921, Hampshire , deceased 2001 Sussex.

He married Patricia P. Leary at Brighton, Sussex in the June 1947 Qtr. Children are shown as Clive R, Claire P. and perhaps Wendy J.

The ancestry page has some photos private including one which is captioned "Ron and Patricia Boxall"

No way to attach documents here so if someone would PM me an email address I'll forward the MRES pages from the RCAF member of this crew.

Regards,

Dave
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Re: Thomas Crew on Stirling bomber came down 30/31July 1943

Post by AlanW »

Dave, you can attach docs here, when replying, you should see an option for "attachments" just below the box that you reply in.
Alan
There is no paralell in warfare, to such courage and determination in the face of danger, over so long a period. Such devotion, should never be forgotten.
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Re: Thomas Crew on Stirling bomber came down 30/31July 1943

Post by Bruno »

Abc man:
I've written to Lyn and I expect she'll read that you've replied.
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