Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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1532034   Sergeant Thomas Crane
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 21/12/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 101 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (British Air Force)
Died: 28/07/1944 (Killed in Action)
Age: 22
Summary      
Sergeant (Air Bomber) Thomas Crane was the son of Thomas and Maud Crane, of Cookstown, County Tyrone and later of Belfast. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He passed training as a Spitfire pilot but was later posted to Canada for training with Bomber Command. He served as a bomb aimer and front gunner with 101 Squadron. On the night of 28th July 1944, while on a bombing raid to Stuttgart, Germany, the Lancaster bomber Sergeant (Air Bomber) Thomas Crane was flying was shot down.
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 Thomas Crane
Cemetery Details
Cemetery: Rebrechien Communal Cemetery
  Rebrechien, Loiret, 4
Grave Ref:
CWGC Casualty 2898869
Summary      
Rebrechien is a village and commune some 9 miles (14 kilometres) north-east of Orleans. The cemetery is situated east of the village on the road to Loury. There are 8 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here, at the far end of the first main plot, on the left of the entrance and left of the central monument.
portrait
Local Memorial Details

No Memorial Name Townland
1 Cookstown Cenotaph WWII - North Panel Cookstown
Local Institute / Local Book Details

No Name Page
1 Cookstown War Dead Book WW2 372
2 Oldtown National School
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 Aérostèles Photo of Memorial and communal grave
2 BBC - WW2 People's War A raft of information about Thomas Crane
3 Bomber Command Details of flight and crash
4 geneanet.org Photo of CWGC headstone
5 Jewish Virtual Library Details of Wolf Herman Engelhardt
6 RAF Commands Details of crew and air crash
7 Spalding Guardian Marina's emotional trip to see brother Thomas' resting place
Cookstown District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2010-2023