The Untold Stories of Three Young Airmen from 7 Squadron RAF in WWII and Why They Never Came Home

Between 1940 and 1945, 7 Squadron of the Royal Air Force flew some of the most dangerous bombing missions of the Second World War. Their aircraft, including the heavy Stirling and Lancaster bombers, carried crews deep into enemy skies. These missions were essential to the war effort but came with heavy risks. Many airmen never returned.

We tell the stories of three young men who served with 7 Squadron. Each of them flew on separate missions. Each met a different end. But all were bound by courage, duty, and sacrifice.

Thomas George Young – Lost Over Hamburg

Thomas George Young was born on March 23, 1920, in the small Scottish village of Morebattle in Roxburghshire. He was the son of Thomas George and Janet Young. During the war, he joined the Royal Air Force and became a second pilot with 7 Squadron. At the time, the unit was transitioning from medium bombers to the Short Stirling, a four-engine heavy bomber newly introduced in 1941.

On the night of June 29, 1941, Young and his fellow crew members took off in Stirling N3664 on a bombing mission to Hamburg. As they neared the city, the aircraft was caught in searchlights. This made them an easy target. A German night fighter, flown by Lieutenant Helmut Lent, intercepted them. Even though his own aircraft had been damaged by return fire, Lent succeeded in shooting down the Stirling.

All seven crew members on board were killed. Thomas was just 21 years old. He was buried at Becklingen War Cemetery in Germany. His name is also etched into his family’s headstone at Morebattle Churchyard, a reminder of his sacrifice in a quiet corner of Scotland.

David Stewart Donaldson – Vanished Over the Netherlands

David Stewart Donaldson was born in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, in 1923. He was the son of David Stewart and Louisa Nelson Donaldson. During the war, he served as a flight engineer with 7 Squadron, which operated Stirling bombers out of RAF Oakington in Cambridgeshire.

On the night of June 21, 1943, the squadron launched a mission to bomb the German city of Krefeld. At 11:40 p.m., Stirling R9272 took off with Donaldson and his crew aboard. Over the Netherlands, the bomber was intercepted by a German night fighter flown by Hauptmann Walter Milus, operating out of Gilze-Rijen airfield.

The Stirling was shot down and crashed in flames. Two crew members survived and were taken as prisoners of war. David and four others were killed. His body was never recovered. He was only 20 years old. Sergeant Donaldson is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, which honors RAF personnel who have no known grave.

Barry Simpson Wadom – Killed in the Final Month

Barry Simpson Herage Wadom was born on May 3, 1923, in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. He studied at Crewkerne School in Somerset and joined the Royal Air Force in October 1941. After completing his training in Canada, he became a Lancaster bomber pilot and was commissioned in July 1944.

By the early months of 1945, Barry had already flown over 50 operations. He was only 21 years old but had become an experienced combat pilot with 7 Squadron. On the night of April 4, 1945, Barry and his crew took off in Lancaster NG229. They were part of a force of over 320 bombers targeting the Harburg oil refinery near Hamburg—an important source of fuel for German forces.

As they approached the target, their aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire. The Lancaster exploded in the air, and wreckage fell along the northern bank of the River Elbe. All seven crew members were killed instantly. Barry was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service. He is buried at Becklingen War Cemetery, close to where he fell. He, too, was just 21.

Remembering the Lost

Thomas, David, and Barry were three young men among many who flew with 7 Squadron and never made it back. Thousands of similar stories are marked on graves and memorials across Europe. These three names serve as a small but powerful reminder of the cost of war, and of those who gave everything before their lives had fully begun.