Thompson, Carlton Stewart
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Carlton Stewart |
Surname | Thompson |
Gender | M |
Age | 26 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 13-06-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Elmer Dawson Thompson and Carrie Elizabeth Thompson (nee Elliott), of Mecosta County, Michigan, USA |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | LM465 |
Markings | LS-U |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Nijmegen |
Grave Reference | 12. C. 4. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 253 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/86074 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 15 (XV) |
Trade | Pilot |
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
Carlton was born on 26 September 1917 at Wells, Michigan, USA. His father was born at Shelby and worked as a farmer and his mother was born at Jamestown, both in Michigan. He had a brother Robert in the US navy. A sister, Margaret sadly died when only two year’s old. The schools he attended were Donley Grade School 1927-1933 (general); Read City High 1933-1937, Ferris Institute, Big Rapids 1938-1939; Michigan State College, East Lansing, Michigan 1939-1941. He was also a student at Radio School, Grant St. Lansing. Carlton worked for his father on the farm, Chrisman Co. 1937-1938, and as a labourer in Lansing 1941-1941. His sport interests were archery, swimming, boxing, and horseback riding. His hobby was the wireless. |
Carlton enlisted on 27 November 1941 (while the United States was still neutral) and embarked from Halifax for the U.K. on 4 January 1943. He arrived in the U.K. at 3 PRC on 13 January 1943 and then went through 18(P) AFU 5 April 1943, 82 OTU 20 July 1943, 1651 CU 22 October 1943 and 15 Squadron 2 January 1944. It was from here on 13 June 1944 that Carlton was to lose his life. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/204/12 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/204/11 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 12-06-1944 |
End Date | 13-06-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Mildenhall |
Day/Night Raid | Night (58% moon) |
Operation | Gelsenkirchen. 303 aircraft, 17 losses (6.1%). The first non-communications related raid in some time. This raid was to target the Nordstern synthetic oil plant at Gelsenkirchen, which was close enough to England to allow the new, improved Oboe marking to be used, with great accuracy. Early bombing was exceptionally accurate but as time progressed, the smoke from the raid obscured the target and bombing became less accurate as a result. The German report states that all production ceased at the plant with the loss of 1000 tons of aviation fuel output per day. The report also states that 1500 tons of bombs fell in the compound. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed SW of Meerlo in Limburg, Holland |