Sgt James Dennis THORNTON - 36 Squadron

[adafor]

Does amybody have information on the service of Sgt James Dennis THORNTON of 36 Squardon RAF? He is remembered on the Runnymede memorial, but I would like to find out some more about this individual.

[Larry]

From the CWGC web site:

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/ca...JAMES%20DENNIS

Sergeant
Service No:1317255Date of Death:24/01/1945
Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve,36 Sqn.
Panel Reference; Panel 277.Memorial RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

At the time of his death 36 Sqn was flying Wellington Mk XIV out of RAF Chivenor, on Anti Submarine patrols with RAF Coastal Command, though for most of the war it had been based in the Mediterranean and North Africa.

[Larry]

Evidently Sgt Thornton was part of a Wellington crew that went missing, as the following from 36 Sqn are also listed at Runnymede for the same date.

Walter George Edward Becker
Rank:Flight Lieutenant Service No:62695
Date of Death:24/01/1945
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
36 Sqn. Panel Reference Panel 265.

Harry Edwin Hastings
Rank: Flying Officer Service No:189139
Date of Death:24/01/1945
Age:23
Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
36 Sqn. Panel Reference Panel 267

Stanley Walton
Rank:Flight Lieutenant Service No:125847
Date of Death: 24/01/1945
Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
36 Sqn. Panel Reference Panel 266.

Henry Thomas Large
Rank:Warrant Officer Service No: 1384700
Date of Death:24/01/1945
Age: 24
Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
36 Sqn. Panel Reference Panel 269.

James Murray Smith Richie
Rank: Flight Sergeant Service No:656758
Date of Death:24/01/1945
Age: 26
Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force
36 Sqn. Panel Reference Panel 272.

[Larry]

Just found this too concerning one of the crew:

Harry Edwin Hastings, Flying Officer, 189139, Royal Air Force. Harry was the son of Edwin and Emily Clara Hastings of Highnam's Park, Essex. He served with 36 Squadron, Royal Air Force, which was a Coastal Command unit, equipped with the Vickers Wellington, which flew from RAF Chivenor in an anti-submarine role. Harry had served with the squadron in the Middle East before it moved to Chivenor in 1944, and he had got engaged to Marie Lloyd, of Bush Row, Haverfordwest. On 24 January 1945 Harry was on patrol in his Wellington when it was lost at sea. He was 23 years old, and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

Assuming they were flying a Wellington GR Mark XIV, the Maritime version of B Mark X with a chin radome housing the ASV Mark III radar and added RP-3 explosive rocket rails to the wings, all that is needed is to sort through the 841 aircraft built at Weybridge, Chester and Blackpool to find one that was lost on 24-1-45.

[adafor]

Thanks all for your helpful replies. I have found a poem in my grandfather's belongings that was in memory of "Jimmy" Thornton, hence my interest. My grandfather was a Navigator / Observer on Mosquito NFs with 488 Squadron, so didn't serve with him operationally.

I am trying to work out if they were aquaintences prior to Operational deployment, or wether the poem was written by someone else. At any rate, it is a moving bit of work.

Adam
broodyswar.wordpress.com

[Larry]

I had a look through Air Britain's RAF Aircraft for HF serials to check on Mk XIVs lost but could not find any so perhaps others can help

From AB Serials:

36s lost Wellington XIII {NB880} on 24-Jan-45

dg

[adafor]

Thanks for all your replies. From the information you have provided, I do not think my grandfather would have flown with Thornton.

[adafor]

I have finally found time to transcribe the poem that started this thread off. If nothing else I think it shows the camaraderie and depth of feeling these guys held for each other during the war. My grandfather did not write it - the places and units do not match up. Either way, it is worth a share.

“Jimmy”
(In memory of Sgt Jimmy Thornton)

From forty one to forty three
We lived our lives as one.
We trained and talked, drank and walked.
Our lives were in the sun.

From Blackpool, Brid to Heaton Park
And Aston Down as well.
Each station brought us near our goal
'Though some of it was hell.

Wintered in Canadian snows
Our brevets and tapes to earn.
Then back home to Harrogate
And still much more to learn.

Then the parting of the ways,
Our paths no more to cross.
From OTU to HCU
Then a crew for a squadron loss.

We flew, we fought by night and day
Our duty must be done
Without a thought for future years
Till the fight was won.

I tried to found out where you'd gone,
‘Gone missing ', so they said.
Then I found in later years
Your name among the dead.

Your name is now emblazoned
On Runnymede’s great wall
In letters clear of shinning gold
Your death reminds us all –

You lie in some forgotten field
Or in a watery grave.
Now I, who live, am humbled
By your young life you gave.

[adafor]

I am still trying to tie up some lose ends to this story. I have the relevant page from 36 Squadron's ORB for this loss, but wonder if there was a standard order in which aircrew were listed in an ORB?

The crew are listed in the following order:

F/Lt Becker WGE
F/Lt Walton S
P/O Hastings HE
W.O Large HJ
F/Sgt Ritchie JM
Sgt Thornton JD

In short - is it possible from this ordering to ascertain Thortnon's role on this A/C. Other bits of info I have suggest he was a Rear Gunner, but I'd like a way to know for sure.

The ORB does show that their A/C was a Wellington Mk XIV, code P

Thanks,

Adam
http://broodyswar.wordpress.com