Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Flight Sergeant Thomas George Dellar (Service No:409522) was farming (he had been an Apprenctice Mechanic in Rainbow) with his father George at Lake Hindmarsh, Jeparit, Victoria when he enlisted in the RAAF on 12 September 1941 as an Aircraftman II at No 1 Recruiting Centre RAAF Melbourne. Tom was the youngest of four children (and only surviving son) of George Thomas Dellar (b1885 in Dimboola, Victoria) and Florence (Flo) May Roberts (b1883 in Minlacowie, South Australia). George (a Farmer) and Flo married in 1910 in Willenabrina where they lived until George enlisted in the AIF in WWI (Private; Service No:2419). Following his Discharge, he and Flo settled in Rainbow, Jeparit where they raised their family and George was a Farmer. 

Described as 6'4" tall with brown hair and green eyes in his Attestation Papers (NAA), Aircraftman II Dellar was posted to No 4 Initial Training School (ITS) Victor Harbor and promoted to Leading Aircraftman on 6 December 1941. LAC Dellar was attached to No 1 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Parafield and No 1 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) Point Cook before being awarded his Flying Badge on 25 April 1942. Promoted to Sergeant in May and mustered as Airman Pilot, he embarked from Sydney for England in August and was attached to RAF Station Bournemouth. In December 1942 he was promoted to Flight Sergeant and in January 1943 was attached to 15 Advanced (Pilot) Flying Unit Andover before serving with 30 Operational Training Unit Hixon.

On the night of 11/12 June 1943, Flight Sergeant Dellar was piloting a Wellington Bomber as part of Operation Nickel, dropping leaflets over Nantes, France when the airplane crashed at Chateau Meridon near Chevreuse in France. Four of the crew baled (three were captured by the Germans and the fourth was shot trying to cross the Spanish frontier), and the Navigator and Flight Sergeant Dellar were killed on impact. Flight Sergeant Dellar was presumed dead. His Commanding Officer (HM White; NAA) wrote to George  'Your son left Hixon on a flight over enemy occupied territory on the night of 11/12th June 1943. The aircraft did not return to base and no news up to the present time has been received of the aircraft coming down at any time. Should any news come through at any time regarding your son I will immediately notify you. Your son was an excellent Pilot who, during his stay at this Unit proved himself an excellent member of aircrew and I myself feel perfectly sure that had he been allowed to continue his flying, the crew would have harrassed the enemy by no small means, and it is therefore regretted that such a loss occurred to the Air Force and also to yourself'.

On 21 August 1943, a Telegram (conveyed to George in Jeparit by the Postmaster over the telephone) informed the family that Tom was presumed dead. 'Your telegram lodged Melbourne 4pm on 21.8.43 addressed to Mr GT Dellar, Lake Hindmarsh, Jeparit was telephoned to addressee at 4.35pm 21.8.43' (Memorandum from Postmaster Jeparit to OIC Casualty Section; NAA).

Flight Sergeant Dellar's burial site was unknown for a number of years. Following enquiries made by his family, the Red Cross in Geneva and the Casualty Section Department of Air, his grave site was identified in 1946. Madam G Fabert (whose son had been shot by the Germans and was buried in the grave next to TG Dellar) wrote to the Australian Embassy (NAA) requesting 'If you have the address of the relatives of TG Dellar could you let them know that I never visit my son's grave without thinking about them and yesterday I put flowers on your compatriot's grave'. 

On 19 June 1946, a letter to RM Doyle (Tom's Brother-in-Law) from Secretary Casualty Section, Department of Air stated ' Information has now been received from Missing, Research and Enquiry Service that your brother-in-law is buried in the cemetery at Guyancourt in the district of Seine et Oise, France. The grave is well kept and flowers have been planted. The local inhabitants tend the grave regularly. A special Mass was held in the village church on the Sunday following the burial which was carried out by the local priest' (NAA).