Ammanford News

Readers reveal story of the 'lost' airman

9:20am Friday 27th January 2012

THE story of Ammanford’s lost Second World War airman can finally be revealed.

Flying Officer Daniel Thomas was among the crew of a Lancaster bomber who died when they were shot down off the Dutch coast while returning from a raid over Nazi Germany in June, 1943.

The story of the plane’s last flight is related in a new book, Bomber County.

Guardian editor Mike Lewis wondered why Flying Officer Thomas’s name is not included among the war dead on the Iscennen Gate at Ammanford Park and asked for any friends or relatives to come forward.

He did not have to wait long. First on the phone was Alun Thomas, of Ammanford, nephew of Flying Officer Thomas, whose 90-year-old father John still lives in the town.

“I simply could not believe it when I saw that article in the Guardian,” he said.

“I told my wife, ‘look, it’s Uncle Dan’.

“Myself and my brother had often wondered what happened to him and always wanted to find out more.”

The article was also spotted by Volander Williams, of Llandybie Road, Ammanford, who knew Flying Officer Thomas well.

“Dan was a very smart boy from a very nice family,” he recalled. “He was going to join the church as a vicar or a curate but decided to join the RAF instead.

“The reason his name isn’t on the Iscennen Gate is because he wasn’t an Ammanford man. He was actually from Saron – born and bred in Cwmfferws, as amatter of fact.”

By tragic coincidence, Mr Williams’ brother-in-law, Amman Bassett, was the flight engineer aboard a Halifax bomber forced to ditch in a Norwegian lake just two weeks before the end of the war.

Although the crew managed to escape their sinking plane, all but the rear gunner – who managed to scramble aboard an upturned liferaft – died of hypothermia in the icy waters.

Mr Williams and his wife travelled to Norway to witness the recovery of the plane in 1995, but no bodies were ever found.

Flight Engineer Bassett’s name does appear on the Iscennen Gate, however.

• Email this page