Thomas Eric's Story.
Thomas Richards was an observer on Albacore torpedo bombers with 826 Squadron Fleet Air Arm.826 Squadron initially embarked on the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable which served in the Mediterranean. The carrier and 826 Squadron were involved in the Battle of Cape Matapan against the Italian Navy in March 1941 which resulted in an Allied Victory with 3 Italian Cruisers sunk and one battleship damaged.
In May 1941 HMS Formidable was attacked by German Dive Bombers off the coast of Crete and was hit by 2 1000kg bombs causing serious damage and was sent to USA for repairs.
HMS Formidable bomb damage.
826 Squadron was flown off the carrier before it left and were based at Maaten Bagush in Egypt.
Maaten Bagush
At Maaten Bagush 826 earned the distinction of being the first British unit to use pathfinders for nighttime bombing missions. Initially they sent one aircraft ahead to drop flares on the target and the rest of the squadron would follow and bomb the marked target but later they dropped flares on targets for other squadrons to follow up and bomb. This tactic was picked up by the RAF for later use in Europe.
On 15 Deember 1941 Thomas was on a mission to bomb a target in Derna Libya and after a successful attack his plane was lost without a trace over the desert. He is commemorated on the Lee in Solent Memorial, the Wistaston Memorial and the Wistaston Memorial Hall Memorial