McCall, Thomas
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Thomas |
Surname | McCall |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 24-02-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of John and Mary McCall, of Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | LW503 |
Markings | LK-Z |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Abbeville les Conflans Churchyard |
Grave Reference | Plot 6. Row F. Grave 7. |
Epitaph | UNTIL THE DAY BREAK AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 207 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1574131 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 578 |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to A19, Burn, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | For all who served in 578 Squadron Royal Air Force Burn 1944 - 1945 |
Location | Methodist Church, Burn, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text |
Location | Selby Abbey, Selby, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | RoH in Glass topped wooden cabinet |
Memorial Text | In memory of all 578 Sqn Aircrew who failed to return from Ops at RAF Burn |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 24-02-1944 |
End Date | 25-02-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Burn |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Schweinfurt- the first raid on this particular target (the centre of ball-bearing manufacture in Germany). 734 aircraft, 33 losses (4.5%). A new tactic was introduced where the bomber force was split into two waves separated by two hours. The first wave Lost 22 aircraft (5.6%) but the second Lost only 11 (3.2%) of which only 4 were shot down. Poor PFF target marking led to local reports quoting 'nominal damage'. Note that there had been a raid comprising 266 8th Air Force B-17s the night before so it is difficult to attribute damage levels. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed at Cahon, NW of Abbeville, France. Sgt McCall was found near the aircraft with his parachute unopened |