Thomas Edward Lawson

Flt-Sergt Thomas Edward Lawson
Born	1923 (1923) Swineshead
Died	19 September 1946 (aged 22–23) 5 miles (10 km) West of Homs (Al-Khums), Murqub, East of Tripoli, Libya
Cause of death	The Avro Lancaster in which he was a passenger caught fire in flight and crashed
Education	Boston Grammar School
Employer	Messrs Burton Allton Ltd, Boston; RAF
Parents	George Lawson
Relatives	Older brother and younger brother

Thomas Edward "Tom" Lawson was educated at Boston Grammar School.

He was one of the additional casualties of the Second World War identified by Dr William M Hunt as omitted from the Boston Grammar School war memorials. He was a passenger on Avro Lancaster B.Mk.VII NX690, 40 Squadron, RAF which was written off (destroyed) 19 September 1946 when caught fire in flight and crashed 5 miles (10 km) West of Homs (Al-Khums), Murqub, East of Tripoli, Libya. Probably hit by lightning. All 25 on board (eight crew and 17 passengers) were killed.

Obituary

'From The Standard, Saturday, 28 September 1946'

Boston man in air crash

"Missing, believed killed"

One of the 25 airmen "missing, believed killed," in a Lancaster which crashed near Homs, in Tripolitania, on Thursday, is Flt-Sergt Thomas Edward Lawson, 23-year-old son of Mr and Mrs George Lawson, 19, Edwin Street, Boston.

All the 17 passengers and eight crew were RAF personnel, Flt-Sergt Lawson being one of the passengers. He was returning to his station in the Middle East after having "ferried" a bomber to this country.

A telegram giving news of the accident was received by Mr and Mrs Lawson on Monday and the names of the passengers and crew were published on Tuesday morning. No details of the accident are available.

His last flight

Flight Sergt Lawson was the second son of Mr and Mrs Lawson. His elder brother works in the accountants department of the Holland County Council and his younger brother is serving in India.

He was home as recently as a week previous to the accident and he expected that the flight, which was from St Mawgan, Cornwall, to Almaza, near Cairo, would be the last he would make before he was demobilised in a few months time.

He was born at Swineshead and was educated at Boston Grammar School after having won a scholarship at the Staniland School. Before joining the RAF he was on the clerical staff of Messrs Burton Allton Ltd, Boston, it being his intention to become a traveller for the firm.

During the early part of the war he was a keen member of the Edwin Street fire group. He was interested in table tennis, playing for St James' Club and assisting with the organisation of matches with Forces' teams.

Flight Segt Lawson was a bomb-aimer and took part in raids on Germany, having graduated from Boston ATC of which he was an enthusiastic member.

His father is a retired postman. Deep sympathy is expressed with his family and his fiancee, Miss Marjorie Hambling, of 99, Fishtoft Road who is on the clerical staff of Boston RDC. During the week she received a letter from him, written during a halt halfway through the journey.