Ryan, Thomas Joseph
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | Thomas Joseph |
Surname | Ryan |
Gender | M |
Age | 28 |
Date of Death | 01-09-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Thomas Joseph Ryan and Anne Amelia Ryan (née Pfannenschmidt), of Chicago, Illinois, USA. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling III |
Serial Number | EE912 |
Markings | LS-U |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 2. G. 13. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 236 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/137429 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 15 (XV) |
Squadron Motto | Aim Sure |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Other Memorials
Location | Church of St. John, Beck Row, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Slate Tablet on rear external wall of Church |
Memorial Text | In remembrance of all who served at RAF Mildenhall and associated aerodromes in the cause of freedom, 1939-1945 |
Miscellaneous Information
Thomas was born on 17 February 1915 at Chicago, Illinois, USA. Both parents were born in Chicago and his father had worked as a clerk to a stenographer. Thomas had four sisters, Marguerite, Patricia, Helen, and Ann and two brothers Richard and Robert. A third brother Donald had died at the age of five. He attended St Anne School, Chicago 1922-1930 (Primary) and Calumet 1930-1934 (4 year Commercial). The only sport he was really interested in was golf and as a hobby he enjoyed making model aircraft. Thomas worked as a supply clerk - receiving clerk 1934-1941. |
He enlisted on 18 November 1941 and embarked for the U.K. on 5 January 1943. On arrival at 3PRC on 13 January, he went on to 9(0) AFU 8 March 1943, 16 OTU 20 April 1943, 1657 CU 8 July 1943 and 15 (XV) Squadron 18 August 1943. Very shortly after arrival Thomas sadly lost his life on 1 September 1943. He left behind a fiancée a Miss B. Sutherland. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/203/64 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/203/63 |
Fellow Servicemen
Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 31-08-1943 |
End Date | 01-09-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Mildenhall |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Berlin. 622 aircraft, 47 losses (7.6%). Stirling losses were some 16.0% Fighter flares were used by the German night-fighters for the first time to mark the path of the main force both into and out of the target area. This raid was not a success. Cloud, combined with the now familiar problems with the H2S equipment and the effective defences of the city conspired to make the PFF marking very difficult. Creepback was an additional problem and it is said that the fires stretched back some 30 miles! Only 85 homes were destroyed. There were 68 deaths. Goebbels ordered that all children and any adults not engaged in war work be evacuated to the country. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed at Roskow, NE of Brandenburg |