The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. T L French

Thomas Lennox French was born on 27th March 1918 in Croydon, the son of Sidney and Euphemia Lennox French.

He joined the RAFVR about January 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot.

Called up on 1st September 1939, he completed his training at 5 FTS Sealand and arrived at 5 OTU Aston Down on 22nd June 1940. After converting to Blenheims he joined 29 Squadron at Digby on 8th July.

Commissioned in April 1941, French was killed on 14th December 1942, aged 24.

Wellington III X3707 of the Telecomms Flying Unit, Defford spun into the ground near Turnhouse following an engine failure.

Also lost were:

F/Sgt. C McGregor
WO A McFadyen
F/Sgt. JR Harper
Lt. S. Kaulis (US Army Signal Corps)

French is buried in Corstorphine Hill Cemetery, Edinburgh.

Grave image courtesy of Mike Dearbaugh.

Images courtesy of Thomas French, son of the above.

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His elder brother, P/O Robert James Lennox-French, was killed on 18th May 1940 serving with 206 Squadron.

Hudson I N7329 failed to return from a sortie to Hamburg.

Also lost were:

F/Sgt. GA Turner
Sgt. E Abbott
AC1 WA Tomlinson

All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.