Flt Lt LWT Thornley 615 Sqn killed 16/5/40

[Brian]

Hi guys

Seeking information on Flt Lt Thornley, 615 Squadron Hurricane pilot shot down near village/town of Tombeeke, east of Brussels on 16 May 1940. Possibly buried as 'unknown' in Tombeeke cemetery. Can anyone enlighten me. Also required is senial number (N2335?) and aircraft letter, if possible.

Cheers
Brian

[Stig Jarlevik]

Well Brian

At least Peter Cornwell seems certain that he was shot down in N2335 when checking his Battle of France then and now.

"Believed shot down by Oblt Framm (St Kap of 2./JG 27) near Tirlemont in combat between Louvain an Wavre 1.40pm"

Cheers
Stig

[pointedeflèche]

Hello Brian,

To my knowledge there is no "unknown" commenwealth war grave in Tombeek cemetery.

Tombeek (correct spelling) is situated in the province of Flemish Brabant (Belgium), and is about 18 km southeast of Brussels.

The crew of Halifax II W7809 (78 Squadron), who died on in the night of 28/29 August 1942, is buried in Tombeek's churchyard. These men all have an identified grave.

In Terlanen's churchyard - a village adjacent to Tombeek - several Commenwealth war graves are marked as "Know unto God" .
Around 15 May 1940 a Hurricane crashed approximately 1 km north of Terlanen's churchyard in Huldenberg. This Hurricane was excavated in 1982 and never identified.

Brian, may I ask you the name of the source you consulted with regard to Flt Lt Thornley and in which is stated that his Hurricane was shot down near "Tombeeke". Is it a first hand source (e.g. War Diary)?

Regards,
Dirk

[Brian]

Hi Dirk

The information comes from a family member, who added that Thornley's body was located at/near Tombeek, in/near the wreck of the Hurricane, by retreating Scottish soldiers. They removed his dogtags and presumably buried him in situ. Hence, German soldiers/local people would not have means of identity.

It is my assumption that he would have been re-buried in Tombeek but could he be one of the 'unknown warriors' resting in Terlanen's churchyard, and his Hurricane the one excavated in 1982?

I would appreciate your thoughts/suggestions.

Cheers
Brian

[pointedeflèche]

Brian,

Terlanen Churchyard contains 15 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 9 of them unidentified.

Of the 9 nine unidentified men buried in Terlanen Churchyard:
- 7 men are Known unto God (all had a field grave in Terlanen)
- 1 is a soldier with the The Royal Welch Fuseliers, Known unto God (his body was found in Tombeek, he had false teeth and a cap bearing No. 4192013, papers found on his body were handed over to the Belgian Red Cross )
- 1 is a soldier with The Royal Berkshire Regt., Known unto God (field grave Terlanen)

Your source speaks of Scottish soldiers removing Flt Lt Thornley's dogtags.

To my knowledge two Scottish Regiments held positions in the Tombeek area, namely 1st Battalion Royal Scots and 1st Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. Both regiments were with 2nd Division, I Corps (B.E.F.)

2nd Division, I Corps (B.E.F.) took up positions around Tombeek/ Overijse/Ottenburg/Terlanen

BEF 15 May 1940
I Corps
2nd Division
4th Infantry Brigade (front)
1st Bn. Royal Scots
2nd Bn. Royal Norfolk Regiment
1/8th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
4th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company


5th Infantry Brigade (divisional reserve)
1st Bn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
2nd Bn. The Dorsetshire Regiment
7th Bn. The Worcestershire Regiment
5th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company


6th Infantry Brigade (front)
1st Bn. Royal Welch Fusiliers
1st Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
2nd Bn. The Durham Light Infantry
6th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company

Perhaps there is speak in the War Diary of one of the above infantry regiments about aerial battles going on the 16th of May 1940 or about a Hurricane that went down near their lines.

Tombeek and Terlanen were at the time and still are parishes/hamlets of Overijse.

Cheers,
Dirk

[pointedeflèche]

Brian,

In the 1950's the Belgian Ministry of Defence made an enquiery regarding the number of aircraft that fell on Belgian soil during the period 10 May 1940- 28 May 1940 (10 May 1940 being the date of the outbreak of war in Belgium and 28 May 1940 being the date of the capitulation of the Belgian Army).

Here is the response of the mayor of Overijse (dated 10 February 1953) to that enquiery: "... I have the honour to inform you that one airplane fell in our municipality, on 16 May 1940. It was an English aircraft and it was probably shot down in aerial combat".

Overijse (Overyssche) is a rather large municipality counting 5 parishes/hamlets: Tombeek, Terlanen, Maleizen, Jezus-Eik, Eizer (In War Diaries propably refered to as Tombeek, Terlaenen, Malaise, Notre-Dame-au-Bois, IJzer).

Where precisely this "English aircraft" fell in Overijse I do not know.

I only know of a Hurricane that crashed in Huldenberg (approximately 1km north of Terlanen Churchyard).

Dirk

[pointedeflèche]

Brian,

Here are Peter Cornwell's findings about the Hurricane that was found in Huldenberg in 1982:

MAY 15, 1940: 87 SQUADRON, LILLE-MARQ
Hurricane P2538. Believed that claimed by Lt Müncheberg of Stab III./JG26 over Overijse during action south-east of Brussels 12.00 p.m. Pilot Officer T. J. Edwards missing. Aircraft a write-off.
Possibly the aircraft excavated at Huldenberg by the Belgian Air Museum on September 11, 1982, when a shattered Rolls Royce Merlin engine was recovered along with undercarriage legs, instrument panel, and fragments of fuselage and wings. Fragmentary human remains were also found together with the remains of a parachute and a pilot’s boot and map but nothing to positively establish identity. Roland Beamont’s autobiography ‘Against the Sun’ (1955) records that ‘an identity bracelet delivered by Royal Engineers confirmed the end of Taffy Edwards’. Relics from the excavation now held in the reserve collection of the Belgian Air Museum at Vissenaken

http://www.rafcommands.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=14039&forum=DCForumI D6&archive=yes

Dirk

[ClinA-78]

Hello Dirk,

Perhaps one of the keys to identify this hurricane lays still on the wreckage which is in 'storage' in a Belgian depot. It was a shame that any report was recorded about the recovery. I ask it at the MRA in Brussels and they reply : '?'
So good luck.

Best regards

ClinA-78