Sergeant Thomas Collin

Sergeant Thomas Collin, Flight Engineer, 467 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force. He died from wounds on 9th June 1944 received on an Air Operation  over Occupied Europe aged 21. He had been born in Stenton, East Lothian and was the son of Thomas and Beatrice Collin of Harelaw, Chirnside and is buried in Chirnside Kirkyard. 467 Squadron was part of 5 Group and flew the Avro Lancaster as part of the main Heavy Bomber Force from R.A.F. Waddington. He was unmarried and before the War he had worked on Harelaw Farm and had been a keen member of the local Home Guard detachment. He had been employed as a tractor driver at Harelaw farm when he enlisted, initially in the Royal navy then the R.A.F. His aircraft was returning from a raid on Rennes in support of the Normandy landings when it was diverted to Bridlington. On attempting to land the aircraft struck a tree and crashed. There was only 1 survivor.