Flight Sergeant Thomas Alfred Delaney served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War. He was a wireless operator and air gunner with R.A.F. 12 Squadron, part of Bomber Command.
Flight Sergeant Delaney died on 10th January 1942. During that winter, R.A.F. 12 Squadron were re-equipped with Vickers Wellington bombers. The cold months were spent in training from their base at R.A.F. Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England.
Imperial War Museum Photo: CH 3027 (Part of the Air Ministry Second World War Official Collection). Wellington Mark II, W5379, in flight from Aldergrove, County Antrim, prior to delivery to No. 12 Squadron RAF at Binbrook, Lincolnshire. It was lost over Cologne on 11 October 1941.
Vickers Wellington W5611 Crash
On 10th January 1942, Vickers Wellington Mark II W5611 took off bound for Wilhelmshaven, Germany. It left the airfield at R.A.F. Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England but crashed shortly after at 2330hrs.
Reports suggest the port engine failed and caught fire causing a rapid loss of height. The plane crashed one mile east of the village of Brumby and two injured survivors were taken to Scunthorpe Hospital.
Flight Sergeant Delaney died in the incident along with Flight Sergeant C.F. O’Connell from New Zealand, Sergeant D.A. Laing, and Flight Sergeant E.A. Parsons from Canada. The injured men were Pilot Officer H.A. Stickings and Sergeant C.C. McAllister.
Thomas Alfred Delaney was the only son of James Patrick Delaney and Mary Delaney of 35 Summerfield Street, Ballymena, Co. Antrim.
Flight Sergeant Delaney’s grave is in Section A, Square 13, Grave 3 of Ballymena New Cemetery, Ballymena, Co. Antrim. He is the only member of the Royal Air Force buried in the Co. Antrim graveyard.