Sgt. Thomas Bayly Tanner

Sergeant Tanner was the navigator of a Wellington which was undertaking circuits and landings exercises when it hit trees about a mile from the airfield, crashed and burned at Wotton Underwood. Four of the five crew died. Cenotaph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...

KILLED IN ACTION. TAURANGA AIRMAN SGT. T. B. TANNER Recently reported killed in action Sgt. T.'B. Tanner, of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, was the youngest son of Mrs. A. E. Tanner, of Second Avenue, and the late Mr J. Tanner. Born in Tauranga 25 years ago Sgt. Tanner was educated at the Tauranga District High School. On leaving high school he worked for Hartley's drapery . establishment where he remained until his entry into the territorial force in the middle of 1940. Later he was in camp at Gate Pa after which henvas transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. His training was done in New Zealand and Canada and he passed out as an observer seeing service over Europe. He operated from a base in England. Sergeant Tanner was interested in amateur theatricals and played an important part in many of the productions staged' by "The Mummers." He was also an enthusiastic tennis and golf player and extremely popular with his associates. Source: Bay of Plenty Times (5 November 1943, p. 4) https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BOPT19431105.2.23