Thomas Stanley MAHOOD
Service Number: NZ404916
RNZAF Trade: Pilot
Date of Enlistment: 1st of December 1940
Rank Achieved: Flight Sergeant
Flying Hours: 344 hours
Operational Sorties: 12 OpsDate of Birth: 25th of October 1916, in Cambridge
Personal Details: Thomas was the son of John Henry and Sarah Jane Mahood, of Cambridge. He was educated at Cambridge District High School, passing his University Entrance examination. He then attended Victoria University College, where he passed his Accountancy Professional exam, and all but one subject for the Bachelor of Commerce degree.He played rugby for Victoria College and was also a member of the university's rowing eight.
In 1935 he became a Civil Servant with the Pensions Department of the Social Security Department of the New Zealand Government. He was still there on the 22nd of December 1939, when he made his application to join the RNZAF as aircrew. He was no doubt still working with the department till he received his call up almost a year later.
Service Details: Thomas joined the Air Force on the 1st of December 1940, at the Ground Training School, RNZAF Station Levin. On the 20th of January 1941 he proceeded to No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School at Harewood, Christchurch, to commence training on Tiger Moths. As there is a gap considerably more than the obligatory three weeks of ITW, he may have been employed at Levin for a few weeks with an Aerodrome Defence Unit or other such menial duties.
After successfully passing that stage Thomas moved to No. 2 Service Flying Training School at Woodbourne, Blenheim, on the 3rd of March 1941. On the 24th of April he passed this course and was awarded his flying badge, or 'wings'. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 24th of May.
Thomas embarked for the United Kingdom on the 18th of June 1941, via Canada, and he arrived safely at No. 3 Personnel Reception Area on the 31st of July 1941. Just days later, on the 4th of August, Thomas was posted to No. 22 Operational Training Unit at Wellsbourne, Mountfort, in Warwickshire. At the OTU he learned to handle the Vickers Wellington bomber and probably also crewed up at the same time.
He was then posted to No. 405 Squadron at Pocklington, in Yorkshire, on the 11th of October 1941. As 2nd pilot, or co-pilot, in a Wellington he flew two ops (to Bremen and Emden, Germany).
Thomas was then posted on the 30th of November 1941 to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron at Feltwell, in Norfolk. From there he took part in a further three raids, two to Essen, and one to Kiel.
It was then onto another course at No. 1505 Beam Approach Training Flight, at Honington in Suffolk. On successfully passing this he returned to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron.
Thomas was promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 1st of December 1941.
He took part in a further seven raids with No. 75 (NZ) Squadron, as a second pilot and then as Captain of Wellington bomber aircraft. Three of these raids were on Essen, one on Hamburg, and a further three on Le Havre in France.
F/Sgt Thomas Mahood (2nd Pilot)
Sgt Sydney Dromgoole (Observer)
Sgt Henry McMahon (Wireless Operator)
Sgt Reginald Kelly (Air Gunner)
Sgt John McLinden (Air Gunner)
F/Sgt Thomas Mahood (2nd Pilot)
Sgt Sydney Dromgoole (Observer)
Sgt Henry McMahon (Wireless Operator)
Sgt Reginald Kelly (Air Gunner)
Sgt John McLinden (Air Gunner)
F/Sgt Thomas Mahood (2nd Pilot)
Sgt Sydney Dromgoole (Observer)
Sgt Henry McMahon (Wireless Operator)
Sgt Reginald Kelly (Air Gunner)
Sgt John McLinden (Air Gunner)
F/Sgt Thomas Mahood (2nd Pilot)
Sgt Sydney Dromgoole (Observer)
Sgt Henry McMahon (Wireless Operator-Air Gunner)
Sgt Reginald Kelly (Air Gunner)
Sgt John McLinden (Air Gunner)
F/Sgt Thomas Mahood (2nd Pilot)
Sgt Sydney Dromgoole (Observer)
Sgt Henry McMahon (Wireless Operator-Air Gunner)
Sgt Reginald Kelly (Air Gunner)
Sgt John McLinden (Air Gunner)
F/Sgt Thomas Mahood (2nd Pilot)
Sgt Sydney Dromgoole (Observer)
Sgt Henry McMahon (Wireless Operator-Air Gunner)
Sgt Reginald Kelly (Air Gunner)
Sgt John McLinden (Air Gunner)As Captain of his own crew
Sgt Cyril Wrightson (2nd Pilot)
Sgt Sydney Dromgoole (Observer)
Sgt Henry McMahon (Wireless Operator-Air Gunner)
Sgt Reginald Kelly (Air Gunner)
Sgt John McLinden (Air Gunner)
Sgt Cyril Wrightson (2nd Pilot)
Sgt Sydney Dromgoole (Observer)
Sgt Henry McMahon (Wireless Operator-Air Gunner)
Sgt Reginald Kelly (Air Gunner)
Sgt John McLinden (Air Gunner)
Sgt Cyril Wrightson (2nd Pilot)
Sgt Sydney Dromgoole (Observer)
Sgt Henry McMahon (Wireless Operator-Air Gunner)
Sgt Reginald Kelly (Air Gunner)
Sgt John McLinden (Air Gunner)
Details of Death: On the night of Wednesday the 22nd of April 1942, Thomas and his crew lifted off at approximately 2120-2215hrs, from Feltwell in Vickers Wellington III X3667. They are believed to have been brought down into the sea near the target. Only the body of the RAF Sergeant Rear Gunner, Sgt John Linden, washed ashore, the others were lost without trace. Thomas was aged 25.
Commemorated at: Commemorated at the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 117
Connection with Cambridge: Thomas Mahood was born and bred in Cambridge
Sources: Details of this airman's death were sourced from the excellent volumes of 'For Your Tomorrow' by Errol Martyn.
Newspaper Articles in the Waikato Independent mentioning Thomas Mahood
RNZAF Farewelled with wallet 2 June 1941
Bachelor of Commerce and Athletic 25 June 1941
Missing on air operations 1 May 1942
Presumed dead 9 Dec 1942
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