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Flying Officer Thomas Laing | |||
Thomas Charles Laing was brought up in Cardiff in Wales. He attended Howard Gardens Grammar School and would have liked to have studied at university but family circumstances would not permit. Instead he left school and joined the Western Mail newspaper in Cardiff as a trainee proof reader. After a short while he became a Police Officer with the Cardiff City Police Force based at Clifton Street Police Station, Roath, Cardiff. Thomas was a young man of many talents. As well as being a keen rugby player and cricketer, he was interested in music, played the violin and conducted the choir at the local church. In 1941 Thomas enlisted to join the RAF and was accepted for aircrew training as a navigator. After basic training he was sent to Canada to train as a navigator and commenced his navigators course at No 10 AOS Chatham, NB. on the 17th August 1942. Flying in Avro Ansons he completed his course on the 7th December 1942 and attained marks of 80.5% for Ground Work and 84.4% for Air Work. He then returned to Britain and, after a period of further training, was posted to 81 Operational Training Unit in July 1943 flying Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys. Here he joined his pilot Sergeant E W J Ebsworth. After a further period of training at 30 Operational Training Unit flying Vickers Wellingtons they were posted to 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at Lindholme in December 1943 where the complete crew was formed. Thomas was the only officer in a crew otherwise made up of Sergeants. Here they flew the Handley Page Halifax. After 15 days intensive training they converted to the Avro Lancaster at No 1 Lancaster Finishing School. After only 7 flights on Lancasters, totaling 6 hours 55 minutes, flying time the crew were transferred to 576 Squadron at Elsham Wolds in mid January. From the 20th January to the 26th January they undertook 6 training flights. 2 were circuits and landings by night, 2 were cross country navigational exercises by night and 2 were air tests and local flying by day. The total flying time for these 6 flights was 17 hours and 5 minutes. They were detailed for their first operation on the 27th January 1944, to Berlin, in Avro Lancaster ME593. The crew consisted of : Sergeant E W J Ebsworth RAF Sergeant J Howell RAF Flying Officer T C Laing RAF Sergeant G A Potter RAF Sergeant G West RAF Sergeant L R H Mitchell RAF Sergeant W C Boot RAF The Lancaster was shot down near Berlin and sadly there were no survivors. According to the Red Cross Thomas Laing was originally buried at Luderitz Parish Cemetery 8 miles South West of Stendal Germany. After the war his remains were buried in Haverlee War Cemetery Belgium which suggests the involvement of an American Graves Investigation Unit. At the time of his death he was engaged to be married. The remainder of the crew are buried at The Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery. We are grateful to the Laing family and Wim Govaerts of Belgium for the information and photograph used in this item. | |||
