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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 656

Five: Captain R. C. Thompson, South African Air Force, who was killed on duty in debated circumstances

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star (206162 R. C. Thompson); Defence and War Medals 1939-45 (206162 R. C. Thompson); Africa Service Medal 1939-45 (206162 R. C. Thompson), contact marks, very fine (5)

Ronald Carby Thompson was born on 18 August 1921 in Umtata, Cape Province to Ernest and Ada Thompson. He volunteered for the Union Defence Force on 21 February 1941 and was posted to the South African Air Force for training.

Over the next year Ronald was trained as a pilot, completing this training on 10 April 1942 and being posted as a 2 Lieutenant. Although he was promoted to temporary Lieutenant six months later on 10 October 1942. He first served with M.A.F.D, the Mobile Air Defence Depot, before being posted for service with the R.A.F. in Britain embarking 31 August 1943.

It is during his service here, with 102 Halifax Squadron flying from Pocklington Air Force that the uncertainty arises. While piloting Halifax III MZ289 DY-J on 17 September 1944 Ronald was killed along with his entire crew.

Two conflicting reports state that the aircraft was lost but disagree upon the circumstances under which this occurred. The first states that it happened while on exercise over the North Sea, this story is to some extent corroborated by a search which was undertaken by other members of 102 Squadron around this time.

However there is also evidence that the Halifax may have been shot down in the Gennep area of the Netherlands. This is based on the identification of a body rescued from a crashed aircraft as that of Flight Sergeant Gordon S. Reader, who flew with MZ289. This body was buried in the nearby town of Milsbeek and has since been confirmed by witnesses as matching photographs of Reader. If this is the case then the aircraft was well off course and others speculate that it was in fact a C-47 glider which crashed here.

Regardless of the truth of their demise Ronald and his crew were listed as presumed dead on 17 September 1944. They are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

This lot is sold with copied research including articles, service records and burial information. It also contains copied photographs of the crew and a Second World War pattern set of SAAF wings.

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Sold for
£180

Starting price
£60