Thomas Noel Ryder RASTON

RASTON, Thomas Noel Ryder

Service Number: 80118
Enlisted: 9 April 1942
Last Rank: Leading Aircraftman
Last Unit: Not yet discovered
Born: Subiaco, Perth, Western Australia, 25 December 1916
Home Town: Tammin, Tammin, Western Australia
Schooling: Tammin State School, Western Australia
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Accidental, Northampton, WA, Northampton, Western Australia, Australia, 24 October 1943, aged 26 years
Cemetery: Geraldton War Cemetery, Western Australia
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Tammin Memorial Gates
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement 80118
9 Apr 1942: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 80118

Help us honour Thomas Noel Ryder Raston's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Leading Aircraftman Thomas Noel Ryder Raston (Service No:80118) enlisted in the RAAF on 9 April 1942 and served with 14 Sqaudron. The Squadron operated out of Pearce Air Base undertaking submarine patrols along coast of WA. On 24 October 1943, LAC Raston was a crew member on Beaufort A9314 when the 'Aircraft became lost on travel flight from Broome to Carnarvon and crashed near Northampton. Probable cause - lack of fuel' (National Archives Australia). Six crew were killed and two parachuted to safety - LAC Raston was killed.

Born in 1916 in Subiaco, Perth WA, Thomas was the fourth of five children of Walter Alfred Raston (b1879 in Bungaree, South Australia) and Madeline (May) Padman (b1880 in Glenelg, South Australia). Walter (a Train Examiner) and May married in 1908 in Perth WA where they raised their family and Walter worked for WAGR as a Train Inspector. By 1916 the family had settled at Tammin in WA where Walter was a Farmer. The children travelled in to Tammin every Monday morning to attend school, returning on Friday to spend the weekends at home on the farm

Thomas was a Farmer in Tammin in 1940 when he married Lily Dixon (b1918 in Kellerberrin, WA). Lily later remarried.

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