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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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RCAF
EFTS Harvard II 3087 P/O. Yestyn Llewellyn Thomas

Operation: Training

Date: 18th November 1943 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 13 Elementary Flying Training School

Type: Harvard Wasp II

Serial: 3087

Code: -

Base: RCAF St. Hubert, Quebec.

Location: Saint Thérèse, Blainville, Quebec, Canada

Pilot: P/O. Yestyn Llewellyn Thomas J/27202 RCAF Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Aircraft on a night cross-country exercise.

Aircraft struck high trees in poor visibility and attempted a forced landing. They crashed 2 miles northwest of Saint Thérèse, 25 miles northwest of the base.

The Harvard landed in an inverted position killing the pilot and seriously injuring the pupil, LAC. A.G Peterson R/20247.

The aircraft had to be turned over to enable rescuers to extricate the crew. The pilot suffered a Base skull fracture and was killed instantly.

Burial details:

P/O. Yestyn Llewellyn Thomas. Whitby Cemetery (Mount Lawn). Grave Plot 1. Lot 24. Block 6. Sector G. Born on the 03rd June 1921 in Port Talbot, Wales. Educated at King St. School and Whitby High School. Worked as a Lithographic Plate Maker prior to service for Arthur and Jones 585 Adelaide Street, Toronto. Enlisted on the 25th of May 1942. Trained at No. 13 Elementary Flying Training School and No. 2 Service Flying Training School Son of David John (A W/O 2. serving in the RCAMC - died 20th April 1987, age 88) and Mildred Daisy Thomas (née Woodcock - died 08th April 1969, age 75), of 425 Dundas Street, Whitby. Ontario, Canada. Brother of Richard William Thomas R/89170 who also served during WWII. Service number prior to commission R/167199. Epitaph: 'Through Adversity To The Stars'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to National Archives. Government of Canada Archives, Paradie Archive.

Other sources shown below.

KTY 02-03-2023

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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