Sgt Thomas Duffy 798611 RAF (Newfoundland)

[Paul Squires]

Hi All,

Here is a puzzler, and just after Memorial Day too.

Sgt Thomas Duffy RAF was killed Oct. 1-2, 1942 in 218 Squadron Stirling I N3763 HA-Q (from Chorley). He is not in They Shall Grow Not Old, and even his Commonwealth War Graves Commisson entry notes him as just 'T. Duffy'. He is also known at 'Tom Duffy' and 'Thomas Duffy' in other sites on the web. His serial number is one of those reserved for Newfoundlanders in the RAF, ie, 798xxx. A brief note at the bottom of an image on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial credits his family in Port au Port, and this is about all I have discovered for this airman. He looks very young, but I cannot find a reference to his age, and because he is RAF there is no file in the Library and Archives Canada site.

Is there any source anyone might have that might give more information? Possibly his age at least.

All the Best,

Paul Squires

[BFBSM]

Paul,

I found this record on the National Archives UK site:

Name: T Duffy . Date of Birth: unknown . Age: unknown. Place of Birth:...

Reference: WO 416/104/64
Description: Name: T Duffy.
Date of Birth: unknown.
Age: unknown.
Place of Birth: [unspecified].
Service: [Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve].
Rank: [Sergeant (Air Gunner)].
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [218 Squadron].
Service Number: 798611.
Date of Capture: [unspecified].
Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
Camp Name/Number: [unspecified].
PoW number: [unspecified].
Date of Death: 2 October 1942.
Number of Photographs: 0.
Number of Fingerprints: 0.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 1.
Date: [1939-1945]
Held by: The National Archives, Kew

Legal status: Public Record(s)
Closure status: Open Document, Open Description
Access conditions: Open on Transfer
Record opening date: 03 December 2014

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. ... /C16783115

[BFBSM]

I found this record on FindMyPast. Unfortunately, it is vague, but the chap is a Sergeant in the RAF, the ship originating from Newfoundland.
First name(s) T P
Ship destination port Liverpool
Last name Duffy
Master first name Gilbert
Year of arrival 1941
Master last name Watson
Arrival date 19 Mar 1941
Archive The National Archives
Departure port -
Archive description Liverpool: SS Nerissa (Messrs Furness, Withy and Company Ltd) travelling from Halifax to Liverpool. Embarking at Halifax and St Johns, Newfoundland. Official Number: 145304. List of passengers disembarking at Liverpool. [Passengers include Naval ratings, Royal Air Force personnel and Newfoundland Royal Artillery personnel].
Departure country Canada
Archive item reference BT 26/1193/110
Destination port Liverpool
Item 110
Destination country England
Line 20
Ship name Nerissa
Record set Britain And Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
Shipping line Furness Withy & Co
Category Travel & migration
Ship number 147369
Subcategory Passenger Lists
Ship departure port Halifax,St Johns, Newfoundland
Collections from Great Britain, England, Canada, Americas