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| Name | THOMPSON |
| First names | Robert |
| Rank | Sgt |
| Service | RAF |
| Service number | 1593634 |
| Crew position | Air Gunner |
| Age | 21 |
| Date of death | 25/06/44 |
| Cemetery | Poix-de-la-Somme Churchyard Somme France |
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| 24/25 June, 1944; POMMEREVAL:
For the following two nights after the Wesseling catastrophe, the squadron was stood down. On Saturday 24th, BBC radio news reported that to date, 750,000 allied troops had been landed in Normandy. But the flying-bomb threat was the main concern of Bomber Command this night; 739 aircraft were detailed to attack 7 different launch sites. Despite its grievous losses 49 Squadron was able to offer 13 crews for an attack on Pommerval. The names of three new crews appeared on the Battle Order for the first time; they were piloted by F/O Taylor (LM572), P/O Poole (ND957) and F/O McCracken (LM541). A clear moonlit night gave ideal bombing conditions, but it also gave the German night fighters a keen advantage. In all, 22 Lancasters failed to return, and sadly one of them carried the 49 Squadron crew of F/O Taylor, on only their first operation; four crew members managed to escape with their lives, but sadly the other three (including 39 year-old F/O James Judd W/AG) did not survive and are buried in a Somme Churchyard. Lancaster LM572 (EA-P) F/O G.B.L. Taylor Pilot (P.o.W.) Sgt J.R. Sidebottom F/E (P.o.W.) Sgt D. Reid RCAF NAV (Evaded) F/O J.F. Judd W/AG (Killed) Sgt R. Thompson A/G (Killed) Sgt E.A. Milligan B/A (P.o.W.) Sgt D.A. Wilson A/G (Killed) Crew on their 1st operation |
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