Crarer, Thomas Eric
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Thomas Eric |
Surname | Crarer |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 29-07-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of Thomas Stewart Crarer and Barbara Elizabeth Crarer, of Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington III |
Serial Number | X3452 |
Markings | AA- |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Hamburg Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 4A. H. 1-7. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 150 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 405475 |
Service | Royal New Zealand Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 75 (NZ) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | New Zealand |
Other Memorials
Location | Village Centre, Mepal, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial & Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A stone memorial, donated by former members of 75 (NZ) Sqn RAF stationed at Mepal between 1943 and 1945 |
Location | St. Andrews Church, Sutton, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Roll of Honour in Wooden Case with brass plaque |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour. Plaque, Presented by 75(NZ) Sqn Association - UK Branch in memory of Comrades named in the Roll of Honour |
Location | St. Marys Church, Feltwell, Norfolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick Piller and Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | A memorial to 75 (NZ) Sqn, RAF. Formed at RAF Feltwell in April 1940 and flew from there until June 1942. The Sqn number was presented to New Zealand becoming 75 Sqn RNZAF in October 1946 until its disbanding in December 2001. |
Location | Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | Remembering No 75 (New Zealand) Sqn, No 3 Gp Bomber Command. RAF Newmarket Heath, November 1942 - June 1943 |
Miscellaneous Information
One of six Wellingtons and their crews lost by the squadron on this raid |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 28-07-1942 |
End Date | 29-07-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Feltwell |
Day/Night Raid | Night (98% moon) |
Operation | Hamburg. Was to have been a much larger raid but bad weather in the north of England prevented many Squadrons taking part. Further bad weather en route- the 91 Group OTU aircraft were recalled, the rest becoming scattered. Only 68 bombed the target but a hospital was hit. Heavy aircraft losses including 15.2% of 4 Group OTU Wellingtons |
Reason for Loss | Coned by searchlights over Hamburg and as a result was hit by flak and ditched. The remainder of the crew became PoWs |