Paul - I am new to this messasge board so I hope I am following the right procedure. You mention that you have a list of all RAF losses for WW2. Is it possible for me to scrutinise that list. The reason I am asking is that I recently discovered that my father was in fact my step father and that my true father had been an Englishman who went to America for a while then came back in 1939 to join the RAF. There are two stories surrounding his death in 1940. One was that he didn't return from an air raid mission, the other that he was killed in a road accident. His name was Paul Thomas but I don't know if Thomas was his surname or his middle name. Complex isn't it!!!! any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Regards John
Hi John - and welcome to the forum. I have moved this to it's own thread so you get some more responses. The list I have is taken from Commonwealth War Graves Commission records. However there is a very useful search engine made by a member of this site: Geoff's 1939-47 Search Engine Using that I could not find any 'Paul Thomas' but I did find the following men who had Paul Thomas as Christian names: Name: DOBSON, PAUL THOMAS Initials: P T Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sapper Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Unit Text: 591 Parachute Sqn. Age: 19 Date of Death: 24/03/1945 Service No: 14429264 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 40. B. 3. Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY Name: MERCER, PAUL THOMAS RICHARD Initials: P T R Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Flying Officer Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 263 Sqdn. Date of Death: 24/10/1943 Service No: 127883 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 126. Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL Name: OLDHAM, PAUL THOMAS CYRIL Initials: P T C Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (Flt. Engr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Unit Text: 149 Sqdn. Age: 19 Date of Death: 14/02/1943 Service No: 574359 Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Cyril Oldham, of Middlesbrough, Yorkshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 8. I. 3. Cemetery: JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY As you can see, two of these are RAF. I have no way of telling if this is the man you are looking for, but hopefully it is a start!
Name: MERCER, PAUL THOMAS RICHARD Initials: P T R Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Flying Officer Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 263 Sqdn. Date of Death: 24/10/1943 Service No: 127883 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 126. Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL ! Hello John, welcome to the forum. Flying Officer Mercer was lost when his Whirlwind I P6979 was hit by flak during a 10 Group Roadstead operation. RAF Fighter Command Losses Vol.2 - Franks
Name: OLDHAM, PAUL THOMAS CYRIL Initials: P T C Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (Flt. Engr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Unit Text: 149 Sqdn. Age: 19 Date of Death: 14/02/1943 Service No: 574359 Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Cyril Oldham, of Middlesbrough, Yorkshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 8. I. 3. Cemetery: JONKERBOS WAR CEMETERY 14 February 1943. 149 Squadron. Stirling I W7638 OJ-R Op: Cologne Crew. F/S. J G. Gow RNZAF + Sgt. P T C. Oldham + F/S. C. Loughlin RNZAF pow Sgt. V W. Tulley RNZAF pow Sgt. G S S. Reynolds RNZAF pow Sgt. J C. Brigden + Sgt. W A. Summerson + Took off 1848 hrs Lakenheath. Shot down by night-fighter and crashed near Boxmeer (Noord Brabant) Holland. Sgt. Oldham was initially buried at Venlo, but his grave is now in Jonkerbos War Cemetery. Bomber Command Losses Vol. 4 - W R. Chorley
Thank you all for your help. Unfortunately none of the above fit the criteria. From what little information I have, it seems clear Paul Thomas or Paul Thomas (surname unknown) died in 1940. whether it was on active service or a road accident is not known. If a serving RAF person was killed in a road accident, I presume he wouldn't be listed in the CWGC records - would that be correct? Regards John