Flight Sergeant Thomas Paxton M.I.D.

Flight Sergeant Thomas Galbraith Paxton, Mentioned in Dispatches,  Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve  He died from wounds in Ceylon, aged 20, on the  7th April 1942 serving with 30 Squadron, Royal Air Force.  He had been born in Maxton, Roxburghshire and was the son of William and Margaret Paxton of Fernirig, Birgham and is buried in Colombo ( Kanatte ) Cemetery, Ceylon. The Squadron had re-equiped from Bristol Blenheims to Hawker Hurricanes and posted to Ceylon in March 1942 in order to repulse Japanese attacks on Colombo and Trincomalee which they did. Before joining the R.A.F.V.R. in 1940 he had worked as a tax officer for the Inland Revenue in Penrith. After training he was sent to Ceylon flying the Hurricanes from Colombo Racecourse. On the 5th April  he engaged Japanese carrier launched aircraft where he shot down two Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters. His own aircraft was damaged during the battle and he was forced to bail out. He was taken to hospital suffering second degree burns but died two days later from secondary shock. His Headstone is inscribed ” Beautiful Memories Are All That Is Left Of Dear Tommy, One Of the Best”.