Thomas James McCLOUD. Sergeant Observer Observer 1066739, 18th Squadron, (Burma) Royal Air Force (VR)
Son of Samuel and Martha of Comber, County Down.
He was part of a crew of three flying in a Bristol Blenheim V Light Bomber. Serial number BA818 which crashed at Newton Toney, Wiltshire, England. 6th November 1942. The crew perished at the scene. He was aged 24. At rest in Comber Cemetery, County Down, Northern Ireland.
The other crew were 1340624 Sergeant (Pilot) Robert C Gibson RAFVR. aged 20 and 1283481 Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Herbert E Shaw. aged 25.
Following extract credited to
http://bournevalleyhistory.co.uk/world-war/november-1942/
At about 3.10pm on 6th November 1942 a Blenheim Bomber crashed in Newton Tony, burst into flames and was destroyed. The crew of three all died instantly.
The crash took place close to a bridge over the railway line, some three quarters of a mile from the then railway station. The aircraft, number BA 818WV, belonged to No. 18 Squadron RAF and was on a training flight from RAF West Raynham in Norfolk. It flew very low over the village causing the children in school to be sent out in case it crashed on the building. It could not fully clear the ridge on which the railway line lay, hit a large straining post in the fence and did not recover.
Mr James Toogood who was ploughing in an adjacent field witnessed the crash but nothing could be done.
Photograph taken near the Comber War Memorial, County Down, Northern Ireland on Remembrance Day 2020.
