Mosquito NT494 13.4.1945

[Mosquito]

Dear Gentlemen,

I'm looking for further details refering to this crash:

85 Sqn
Mosquito NF.30 NT494 VY-N
F/L H B Thomas safe
F/O C B Hamilton DFC +, Hamburg-Ohlsdorf War Cemetery.

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

kind regards

Steve

[johnnie214]

Not sure if you have the information from Bomber Command Losses 1945 (Chorley)
however it states:

T/O 2153 Swannington. During the sortie, the crew were heard several times on R/T, the first call to Brussels being monitored at midnight by a No.157 Sqdn crew patrolling off Heligoland. Thirty minutes later, F/L J.A.V.Grisewood, who was flying S of Kiel, heard F/L Thomas asking Woodbridge for assistance. Then, at 0123, F/L Vaughan radioed for a fix, which positioned his aircraft 180 miles off the east coast, bearing 245 degrees. Immediately, he heard a voice, which he recognised as F/L Thomas saying "get some in Vaughan". It is then believed a German night-fighter struck, though there are indications that earlier, while over Denmark, F/L Thomas had been fired at by a Lancaster and had sustained some damage. (Page 162)

Hope this helps,

Johnnie

[Carnahan]

Dear Steve,
we’re you able to get any additional information concerning this?Charlie Hamilton was my great uncle and I am also doing research into his last sortie.
kind regards,
James Carnahan

Dear Gentlemen,

I'm looking for further details refering to this crash:

85 Sqn
Mosquito NF.30 NT494 VY-N
F/L H B Thomas safe
F/O C B Hamilton DFC +, Hamburg-Ohlsdorf War Cemetery.

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

kind regards

Steve

[PeteS]

Hi James, I dont think Steve has been active here since 2015.
cheers PeteS

[Argus]

Hello James,

From the CWGC Graves Concentration Report Form, I can read that he was buried at Armstorf, Civil Cemetery as unknown R.A.F.

Death registration 14.4.45.

Then I will guess, that the crash to place in this area (in the middle between Hamburg and the North Sea).

Reburial 4.10.47 at Hamburg-Ohlsdorf.

Best regards

Finn

[Carnahan]

Dear Finn,
Many thanks for the reply.
I will keep on searching for additional information.
Kind regrads,
James

Hello James,

From the CWGC Graves Concentration Report Form, I can read that he was buried at Armstorf, Civil Cemetery as unknown R.A.F.

Death registration 14.4.45.

Then I will guess, that the crash to place in this area (in the middle between Hamburg and the North Sea).

Reburial 4.10.47 at Hamburg-Ohlsdorf.

Best regards

Finn

[Lyffe]

James,

Welcome to the forum.

Could I suggest you join the 12 O'Clock High forum at http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/index.php and use the Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces section for help. I suggest the question you need to ask should be along the lines of "Is there any record of a German night-fighter attacking, and destroying a Mosquito over north Germany - possibly between Hamburg and the North Sea - at about 0130 hours on 13th April 1945 (see https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sh...T494-13-4-1945)".

I appreciate the position is rather vague but it is only suggested as a starting point. I've found the gentlemen on this forum very helpful in the past.

Brian

[Lyffe]

Gentlemen,

Not my area of expertise but I'm aware the pilot of NT494, F/L H B Thomas, became a POW - how does one go about finding his post-war POW file/report?

Brian

[robstitt]

James,

You could try emailing or sending a private message, both accessible by clicking on Steve’s user name ‘Mosquito’.

Robert

[wwrsimon]

Hello

Christopher Shores' "Aces High Volume 2" records the following in the Corrections and Additions, page 185:

THOMAS Hugh Brian [126708]
Thomas was promoted Flt lt on 8 June 1944. His radar operator was 174685 Plt Off Charles Blackley Hamilton, DFC. During the night of 13 April 1945 their Mosquito was fired on in error by a Lancaster, and one engine was set on fire. They were attacked by a night fighter, and both baled out, Thomas landing just inland from the Dutch coast, while Hamilton was believed to have fallen into the sea, and was lost. Thomas was repatriated after the war, rejoining 85 Squadron on 15 May 1945.

Regards

Simon