RAF PATHFINDERS ARCHIVE

Pathfinder Aircrew, their Friends, their Families, and the World they Knew

Crew: Billing

Billing
Jimmy Billing. Courtesy of Doug Curtis.

This crew flew on BLACK THURSDAY in Lancaster JB356, X-XRAY – they landed without incident at RAF Station Graveley in the early hours of 17 December 1943.

The crew all survived the war except for the Flight Engineer Tommy Hope, who was killed on 12 June 1944 when flying with the Ash crew (see below).

CREW (Black Thursday)
Pilot: P/O Jim, or Jimmy, Billing
Flight Engineer: Sgt Thomas William Hope, ‘Tommy’ – Killed 12/6/44 with the Ash crw
Navigator: P/O James Edward, Moriarty, ‘Mort’, RCAF
Bomb Aimer: P/O Erwin Osler, RCAF
W/Op: Sgt Jock Campbell
Mid-Upper Gunner: F/S Bud Findlay, RCAF
Rear Gunner: W/O Doug Curtis, RCAF

billing crew
L-R: Jimmy Billing, Jock Campbell, Bud Findlay, Mort Moriarty, Doug Curtis, Erwin Osler. Courtesy of Doug Curtis.

Tommy Hope

Billing crew - Tommy Hope
Tommy Hope. Courtesy of Doug Curtis.

Flight Engineer Tommy Hope is buried in Pont-du-Cens Communal Cemetery at Nantes. It is thought that he was on his last operation (to Nantes) before he finished his tour. He had transferred to 635 Squadron, along with Flight Engineer Stewie Edwards, who had been with the Billing crew for their first five or so operations before then transferring to the Ash crew. All the Ash crew were killed on 12 June 1944.