TOMLINSON JG
Tomlinson, James Gordon
Personal Information
| Rank | F/S |
| Forename(s) | James Gordon |
| Surname | Tomlinson |
| Gender | M |
| Age | 21 |
| Date of Death | 23-11-1943 |
| Next of Kin | Son of Walter Scott Tomlinson and Dell Tomlinson (née Brown), of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Husband of Elizabeth Mary Tomlinson (née Boss), whom he married on 20 February 1943 in Winnipeg. |
Aircraft Information
| Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax V |
| Serial Number | LK702 |
| Markings | IP-E |
Memorial Information
| Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
| Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
| Grave Reference | Panel 186. |
| Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
| Phase | 2 |
| Panel Number | 254 |
Enlistment Information
| Service Number | R/157029 |
| Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Group | 6 |
| Squadron | 434 (Bluenose) |
| Squadron Motto | In excelsis vincimus (We conquer in the heights) |
| Trade | Air Bomber |
| Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
| Location | Tomlinson Island, Manitoba; Within Burntwood Lake |
| Country | Canada |
| Memorial Type | Island |
| Memorial Text |
| Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Metal Plaque and Maple Tree |
| Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RCAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 434 Sqn RCAF |
| Location | Former Control Tower, old Tholthorpe airfield site, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
| Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RCAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 434 Sqn RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
| James was born on 13 January 1922. His father, born in Pickering, Ontario was deceased as was his mother, born in Wisconsin, USA. He had just one younger sister Mary Louise who became his next-of-kin and was to be found c/o Nurses Home, Winnipeg. He went to Glenwood School between 1928-1934, to Lord Selkirk 1934-1938 (Jnr, Matric), followed by St. John’s High 1938-1940 (Snr, Matric. Grade eleven)- all schools in Winnipeg. The sports James enjoyed were swimming, skiing and skating. James worked as a clerk at the Canadian Bank of Commerce, Winnipeg, from 1940 until enlistment on 9 February 1942. |
| After training, James embarked from New York on 9 March 1943 arriving at 3PRC in the U.K. on 18 March 1943. He was then at 6 AOS 18 May 1943, 23 OTU 22 June 1943, 1664 CU 23 September 1943 and 434 Squadron on 29 October 1943. Less than month later, on 23 November 1943 James sadly lost his life. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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 | 22-11-1943 |
| End Date | 23-11-1943 |
| Takeoff Station | Tholthorpe |
| Day/Night Raid | Night (22% moon) |
| Operation | Berlin. 764 aircraft- the largest raid on Berlin so far and the last to include Stirlings which had not fared well in recent raids on the city. Bad weather again kept the night-fighters at bay and as a result 26 aircraft were Lost (3.4%). The target was completely cloud-covered but despite the weather, this was the most successful raid on Berlin of the war. An unseasonably dry spell led to several firestorms and there was an immense area of destruction. At least 3000 houses were destroyed along with 23 industrial premises. 175000 people were bombed out and the list of municipal buildings damaged or destroyed is too long to include. The famous Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was hit this night- it is a famous landmark in Berlin to this day because it was deliberately only part-restored. Five Siemens factories and the Alkett tank works were destroyed, the latter having been moved to Berlin from the Ruhr after its destruction earlier in the conflict. |
| Reason for Loss | Lost without trace |