The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. T Y Wallace

Thomas Young Wallace was born in Johannesburg. He joined the RAF on a short service commission in August 1939. With training completed, he was posted to 610 Squadron at Gravesend on June 19th 1940.

His commission was terminated on July 1st after he was court-martialled for being absent without leave for two days in June. He became a Sergeant-Pilot and and was posted to 111 Squadron at Croydon from No1 Recruit Centre, Uxbridge on July 17th.

He claimed two Me110’s destroyed and two others damaged on August 15th, a Me109 destroyed and probably a Do17 on the 16th, a Do17 destroyed and two others damaged on the 18th, a Me109 damaged on the 24th, a Do17 shared on the 26th, a Me110 destroyed, a Do17 probably destroyed and a Me110 damaged on the 31st and a Me109 destroyed and three others damaged on September 4th.

Wallaces's Hurricane, P3025, was severely damaged by a Me109 over the Channel on September 7th. He glided back to the English coast and baled out south of Ashford, slightly wounded. The Hurricane, P3025, crashed on Gammons Farm, Newchurch.

He was awarded the DFM (gazetted 25th October 1940).

Wallace damaged a He111 on November 3rd. Commissioned from Warrant Officer in March 1943, he commanded 609 Squadron from September 17th 1944 to November 11th, when he was shot down by flak over Dunkirk and killed.

Wallace was 28. He is buried in Pihen-les-Guines War Cemetery, France.