MOORE, Thomas

756552, Leading Aircraftman, 78 Squadron, R.A.F. (Volunteer Reserve)

Born 1916, Grimsby

Died 18/11/1942, Age 26, at the Aerodrome, Linton on Ouse, York

Buried 23/11/1942

Son of Arthur Moore (b 1888) and Ethel Hunt (b 1889), married 21/10/1914 at Clee

Brother of Stanley (b 1915), Kenneth (1923-1939) and Cyril (b 1930)

Husband of Isla Martin Tollerton (b 1916), married 1938, Cleethorpes. Isla was a talented mezzo soprano, who sang in local competitions both before and after her marriage.

Address at time of death: 22 Oole Road, Cleethorpes

78 Squadron was part of 4 Group, Bomber Command and was based at Linton on Ouse at the time of Thomas’s death. The squadron originally flew twin-engined Whitleys, but converted to 4-engined Halifaxes in mid-1942.

“The Bomber Command War Diaries: An Operational Reference Book 1939-1945” by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt records some interesting if sobering facts about 78 Squadron.

• ·         Flew the most sorties in 4 Group

• ·         Suffered most losses and highest percentage losses in any Halifax squadron, most losses in 4 Group (with 102 Squadron) and third heaviest overall losses in Bomber Command (sharing this distinction with 44 and 102 Squadrons)

• ·         Believed to have dropped the greatest tonnage of bombs in 4 Group, approximately 16,900 tons.

The book also reports that morale in the Halifax squadrons fell in the Summer of 1942, just a few months before Thomas’s death, due to high casualty rates. It was generally recognized that a loss rate exceeding 4% would lead to eventual decline of the force. In the period March to August 1942, the casualty rate was 6.2 percent. As a result, the whole of the Halifax force – 10, 35, 76, 78, 102, 158 and 405 Squadrons – had to be rested from operations for nearly a month.